On the relativity of expertises by curators

[Didier Attaix]

Hi everybody,

My very first buy on eBay, at a time I was almost ignorant in Egyptology, was the following 'Ptolemaic stela' H 10.1, W 5.9, T 1.2 cm:






I brought it for expertise to the BM in 2009. The Curator in charge told me that the column of hieroglyphs in the middle was making sense with no error. However, the Curator questioned the authenticity of the plaque because the two monkeys are both looking on the right. I fully agreed that this is unconventional, but in the Late Period there are plenty of unconventional representations, like on the attachment this one on the left in the World Museum Liverpool, below:

 

 

 

This Curator recommended me to have a TL analysis. I never did that because the price of this stela, even authentic, was barely comparing with the cost of a TL.

I had an appointment past week with Marcel Marée, also a curator of the BM, for the identification of several undocumented amulets. I showed Marcel the plaque. His verdict was: a fake.  I was suspecting this because the vulture on the top is very strange looking. In addition, Marcel told me that the column of hieroglyphs does not make any sense in striking contrast with his former colleague...

All the best,

Didier

Didier

Edited June 26 by Didier Attaix

[shanxi]

column of hieroglyphs ? monkeys?  vulture on the top?

 

Wrong picture ??

[Kaleun96]

To be honest, I'm surprised to hear curators at the BM even engage with collectors on this kind of thing. Have you found it easy to get these appointments and is it because you have a working relationship with them or have published in this area before etc?

Like shanxi, I'm also wondering if you posted the wrong picture since I can't see the relation between what you've said and what's in the picture.

[antwerpen2306]

Difficult tomake a decision about authentycity as there is no photo.

In a stela, the middle column is very important, i'll show an exemple of my collection once in Antwerp.

Do you have a translation ? I know it is not often given, but is is very important for authenticity and datation.

 

[TheTrachyEnjoyer]

Ill be honest in that I have zero experience dealing with Egyptian antiquities. That being said, I would trust the opinion of the British museum Egyptian curators over almost above anyone else save perhaps a comparable figure working at a similar institution.  

[antwerpen2306]

@Didier Attaix the picture of the column in the middle. When I can, I  translate, but I is often very difficult with cheaper pieces. Normal, I also trust the  curators of the museums, but I have only good experiences with the museum in Wien (Austria) for coins.

[John Conduitt]

On 6/25/2024 at 2:21 PM, Kaleun96 said:

To be honest, I'm surprised to hear curators at the BM even engage with collectors on this kind of thing. Have you found it easy to get these appointments and is it because you have a working relationship with them or have published in this area before etc?

The BM will authenticate objects for free. For coins it is no more than 10 items and they must not be overseas coins with no provenance. The have always done this - I have a letter from them dated 1948 authenticating a beaten up Roman Republic As.

People who find objects are more likely directed to their Finds Liaison Officer (Portable Antiquities Scheme) who would also authenticate for free.

Edited June 26 by John Conduitt