Description:

Egyptology 0 - 0 Pieces of Sphinx and Great Pyramid along with 1930s Egypt tourist photo

Archive consists of two pendants containing pieces of the Sphinx and Great Pyramid legally exported and with provenance, along with three 7.875" x 9.785" black and white photographs taken in Egypt in 1932 by an anonymous tourist. The landmark fragments were collected in the late nineteenth century, and come with a copy of the original inscriptions on a Giza hotel business card dated November 1895. The pendants are suspended from gold-filled decorative chains; one has a six-sided star shaped frame and the other frame features repousse scrollwork.

Two photos feature the Memphis Sphinx while the third represents "Real Egypt To-Day" -- several figures riding astride a mule near the Heliopolis Obelisk. Photos are in fine to very fine condition, with minor wear to corners, a few isolated scratches, and overall toning. Each photo is annotated by photographer verso.

Our photographer wanted to have an authentic tourist experience, seeing famous landmarks along the Nile River, but also witnessing modern Egyptian daily life. Two photos show the Memphis Sphinx in profile and as a prop in front of which several Egyptian children pose. The monument had only been discovered and excavated twenty years before these photographs were taken. Its mystique persists today, as it is still the largest existent carved calcite sculpture in the world, and relatively mysterious due to its lack of inscriptions.

The last photo shows a man and two boys riding a donkey near the site of the Heliopolis Obelisk. This photo notation is the most carefully recorded, possibly because the photographer sensed it served his or her mission to document real life. Significantly, the photographer chose to photograph a poor family rather than the stunning 69-foot-high polished red granite obelisk erected thousands of years earlier located just steps away.

"Heliopolis - Egypt 1932, Palm Sunday, 300' ahead of the ass is an obelisk - situated at the place where the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Infant Child Jesus rested - when Herod was killing the Innocents (The obelisk is to the left of photo and does not show). 1) There are 3 people on the ass - 2) Father and 2 sons 3) There is no bridle on the ass and it is guided by whip. This is real Egypt To-Day"

Remarkable ancient and modern souvenirs from the Nile River Valley!

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Shipping

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. Shipping and handling costs are competitive as we maintain discounted contracts with FedEx. If you have any questions, contact University Archives prior to bidding. After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item. We currently ship via FedEx but if your purchase is shipping to a P.O. Box, we ship via USPS. All items are insured. We ship from our offices in Westport, CT. We may opt to use a third party shipper for very fragile, bulky or oversized items. Items requiring third party shipping will be denoted in the item description. Packages shipped internationally will have full value declared on shipping form. International buyers will be responsible for any customs fees incurred.

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June 14, 2017 10:30 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

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$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
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$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000