Two Egyptian Stone Vessels, 12th/19th Dynasty, 1938-1190 B.C.

comprising an obsidian kohl jar with splayed foot, pyriform body, and broad disk rim sheathed in gold in ancient or modern times, and a banded alabaster goblet with splayed foot convex underneath, short stem, and deep rounded body with flaring rim.

Egyptian family collection, Alexandria and Cairo, acquired in the early part of the 20th century in Egypt and Europe, and transferred from Egypt to northern European family residences in the early 1950s
Northern European private collection, by direct descent from the above in the 1970s
acquired from the above by the present owner in 2002

The rim of the obsidian vessel, when viewed from underneath, shows a hairline crack or repair. There is a small chip on the edge of the foot (visible in photo), a few tiny nicks and a few tiny bubble-like imperfections in the obsidian itself; the gold overlay (ancient or modern?) is fragmentary on the inner mouth as shown in photo. The alabaster vessel has a few probably ancient chips on the edge of the rim, and one small chip on the edge of the foot. The surface is somewhat worn. The goblet in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (cited in the footnote), seems to also have a base rounded underneath, which fits into a low separately made support.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

For the obsidian vessel cf. W.C. Hayes, The Scepter of Egypt, Part I, New York, 1953, p. 243, fig. 155, objects from the tomb of Princess Sit-Hat-Hor-Yunets, daughter of Sesostris III. For the goblet compare Egypt's Golden Age, Boston, 1982, no. 128.