An Egyptian Serpentine Cylinder Seal, 6th Dynasty, Reign of Pepi I, circa 2289-2255 B.C.

VAT reduced rate

Live auction begins on:

July 3, 01:00 PM GMT

Estimate

50,000 - 80,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

An Egyptian Serpentine Cylinder Seal

6th Dynasty, Reign of Pepi I, circa 2289-2255 B.C.

carved in fine detail with three columns of hieroglyphs reading “The King’s Noble Companion of the House who does that which is commanded/ the Royal Chamberlain of the Great House who does that which his Lord praises every day/ the Horus Merytawy-Meryre.”

Height 7.6 cm.

Please note that the penultimate line of the provenance of the present lot should read: private collection, acquired from the above (Christie’s, New York, April 29th, 2019, no. 102, illus.). This line is missing from the provenance in the printed catalogue.

George Anastases Michaelides (1900-1973), Zurich

private collection, by descent from the above (Sotheby's, London, July 26th, 1976, no. 324, part)

Peter Kaplony (1933–2011), Zurich, acquired at the above sale

Christie's, New York, June 3rd, 2009, no. 2, illus.

private collection, acquired from the above (Christie’s, New York, April 29th, 2019, no. 102, illus.)

acquired by the present owner at the above sale

Published

P. Kaplony, "Die Rollsiegel des Alten Reiches II," in Monumenta Aegyptiaca, vol. 3A, Brussels, 1981, p. 396, no. 37, pl. 109

The present lot is one of a number of seals known from the reign of Pepi I which designate the owner as an official and agent of the king, and which give the king's Horus-name (Merytawy) and the owner's titles, but not his own name. For other examples see two seals in The Metropolitan Museum of Art (acc. nos. 17.5 and 26.7.10) and one in The Brooklyn Museum (acc. no. 44.123.32).