A RARE BRONZE FIGURE OF A BABOON, LATE DYNASTIC PERIOD, DYNASTY XXVI

Expert’s note: The long mantle of hair and elongated nose identify the species as Papio hamadryas, a baboon native to the Red Sea region and the Horn of Africa, characterized by its dominant social structure and aggressive behavior. In ancient Egypt, this species acquired profound religious significance. It was originally the sacred animal of Thoth, god of wisdom and writing, and from the Middle Kingdom onward was also associated with Khonsu in his lunar aspect. Observations of baboon behavior—such as their upright posture and vocalizations at sunrise—likely informed their symbolic roles, linking them with solar renewal, lunar cycles, and the regulation of time. Their role in temple cult, frequent depiction in statuary, and even their mummification and burial in dedicated cemeteries (necropoleis) highlight their enduring importance in Egyptian religious practice.

Egypt, circa 600 BC. Sitting on his haunches with forepaws resting on his knees, the tail curled around his proper right leg, a mantle of fur cloaks the shoulders and upper arms, the genitalia exposed, with large ears and elongated snout, the face neatly incised with a charming expression and crowned by uraeus, backed by the lunar disc.

Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Expected casting irregularities, obvious losses, some rubbing, minor warping, scattered nicks and scratches, signs of weathering and erosion, and encrustations. The bronze with a naturally grown dark patina with areas of malachite and cuprite encrustations.
Provenance:
- The Mustaki Collection, Alexandria, Egypt, and London, United Kingdom.
- With Robert Bigler, Zurich, Switzerland.
- With Rupert Wace Ancient Art, London, United Kingdom, acquired from the above in 2004.
- The private collection of Maria Mooers, Texas, USA, acquired from the above in 2006.
- With Charles Ede. Ltd., London, United Kingdom.
- With Rupert Wace, London, United Kingdom, acquired from the above in 2019.

A copy of an invoice from Robert Bigler, Zurich, dated 5 June 2004, addressed to Rupert Wace Ancient Art, confirming the dating and provenance above, accompanies this lot. A copy of an invoice from Rupert Wace Ancient Art, dated 13 April 2006, addressed to Maria Mooers, confirming the dating and provenance above, accompanies this lot.

Gustave Mustaki (d. 1965) moved from Greece to Alexandria, Egypt, when he was a boy. A fanatic collector from a young age, over his lifetime he amassed a huge collection. Towards the end of the 1940s he applied to the Egyptian government to export his collection. Although the government kept some items of importance, they granted permission for several crates of statuettes and amulets to be shipped to London. The full contents were recorded by the shippers, on 15th May 1953. Though the process had begun several years earlier, by late 1953 Harrods had received delivery of the cases and the objects were sent to Mustaki's daughter Elsa MacLellan. Over the years she sold most of the collection through Charles Ede, and on her death the remaining pieces were left to her son.

Robert Bigler, Zurich, founded his eponymous gallery in January 1994 and specializes in the brokerage and sale of artworks from East Asia (primarily Buddhist art from China and the Himalayan region), Pharaonic Egypt, prehistoric artifacts, and tribal art from various cultures.

Maria Mooers was the daughter and sole heiress to the Texas oil baron Clifford Mooers. A prominent Texas and New York socialite, Maria was married to Claude Heater, opera star of the 1950s, who played Jesus in Ben Hur. The two met aboard a ship to Europe; Maria was going to Europe to marry her fiancé in France. That marriage never took place, as she and Claude hit it off. While the two were sightseeing in Italy, they saw some travel posters, including one for a tour of Egypt. On New Year's Eve of 1952, the pair were married in Cairo.

Charles Ede Ltd., founded in 1971 by Charles Richard Montague Ede (1921–2002), is recognized as one of the world’s leading dealers in ancient art, specializing in works from Egypt, Greece, and the Roman Empire, as well as early European art before c. 1000 AD. After early ventures in publishing and the arts, Ede turned his attention to antiquities, establishing the firm that now enjoys an international reputation and a prominent presence at major art fairs worldwide.

Rupert Wace (b. 1955) has been a leading figure in the world of Antiquities for over forty years. A collector at heart and sometime dealer by profession, Wace's expertise ranges from ancient Egypt and the Classical world to the Near East. His clients include international collectors and many of the world's leading museums, including the British Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, among others. He is a longstanding member of The Antiquities Dealer's Association (ADA) and currently sits on the board of the International Association of Dealers in Ancient Art (IADAA).

Weight: 31.5 g (excl. stand), 56.6 g (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 5.6 cm (excl. stand, incl. tenon), 8 cm (incl. stand)

With an associated stand. (2)

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s London, 27 October 2004, lot 127
Price: GBP 15,535 or approx. EUR 39,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An Egyptian bronze figure of a baboon, Saite Period, circa Dynasty XXVI
Expert remark: Note the larger size (8.3 cm).