DESCRIPTION: Intact. A cast bronze figure of the god Osiris, depicted mummiform, arms crossed over the chest, holding the crook and flail and wearing the tall "Atef" crown, schematically rendered uraeus on the forehead and false beard on the chin, attached to its original ancient wood base, now secured with modern adhesive. The reverse flat and unmodelled. Dark grey-green patina with some rough patches. The original wood stand (acacia or cedar wood) consisting of a rectangular block with flat area in front of the figure for hieroglyphic inscription, now entirely faded, and raised four-sided platform on which the figure rests. Very small letters "C. M." in old white ink on the underside.

PROVENANCE: Formerly in the Doorn-Koller Collection, formed in the late 19th and early 20th Century by the most recent owner's grandfather Jakob Koller, and father Johan Doorn, while living in Egypt. Both collectors were knowledgeable about Egyptian art and hieroglyphs, being close friends with the Egyptologist Dr. Ferdinand Debono and acquainted with Howard Carter who presented them with his annotated diary.

PUBLISHED: Christie's auction catalogue, ANTIQUITIES, 25 April, 2007, London, page 86.

COMPARISONS: For a simple bronze Osiris figure, typical of the late Dynastic to Ptolemaic period, see Zahi Hawass, Valley of the Golden Mummies, New York, 2000, page 180