Corn Mummy Opens the Potomack Company's Year Rufus Porter
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Rufus Porter Museum Corn Mummy Opens Receives $40,000 The Potomack Company’s Year by Walter C. Newman Donation he Potomack Company opened linen bandages and coated he Rufus Porter Museum in Bridgton, Maine, has received a Tits 2019 auction season with with various oils, resins, wax, T$40,000 gift from the National Museum of Decorative Painting a series of antiques and fine art and gum. The figure was in Atlanta, Georgia. After 36 years of operation with the purpose sales beginning on February 2. The placed in a carved wooden of collecting, preserving, and displaying the art of decorative high lot of the live catalog sale was coffin. The corn mummy painting, the National Museum of Decorative Painting closed in probably one of the oldest items ever was then likely buried as 2018. The funds will be used by the Rufus Porter Museum toward offered by the Alexandria, Virginia, part of rituals associated the acquisitions and operational costs. firm. god Osiris; germination and “I was very sad to hear the news of the museum’s closure,” This Egyptian corn mummy in a growth of the corn within the said Karla Leandri Rider, museum director-curator of the Rufus gilt and black-painted falcon-head mummy are a symbol of the Porter Museum. “I know I speak for the board, staff, volunteers, wooden coffin dates from the Late resurrection of Osiris. and members of the Rufus Porter Museum when I say that we are Period (525-332 B.C.E.), and sold Little is known about this honored and appreciative to have received such a generous gift.” to a telephone bidder for $112,500 corn mummy before the Founded in 2005, the Rufus Porter Museum features the history (includes buyer’s premium). The 1940s, when it was purchased of a remarkable 19th-century New Englander, Rufus Porter (1792- 19½" tall corn mummy had been by Arthur I. Bloomfield 1884). Located at 121 Main Street in Bridgton, the museum will be estimated at $45,000/75,000. (1914-1998). Bloomfield open for the 2019 season from June 15 to October 12, Wednesday Although corn mummies closely was a noted economist who through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, resemble and are presented in a specialized in international visit the website (www.rufusportermuseum.org). manner that we associate with the finance. According to catalog notes, Bloomfield acquired the large mummies excavated from the corn mummy in Egypt or London and took it back to his home tombs of ancient Egypt, they were in the Washington, D.C., area. The consignor purchased the not funerary objects. They were not piece from the Bloomfield collection in 1999 and later lent it to Goosefare Antiques & Promotions intended to preserve the remains of the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland, where it was Our Next 2 Shows humans, small animals, or birds. exhibited from 2004 to 2018. Rather, they were mummiform Additional information related to this interesting object will The 32nd Annual figures composed of a mixture of be included in the report on The Potomack Company auction in clay, mud, and seeds, wrapped in a future issue of M.A.D. HINGHAM ANTIQUES SHOW & SALE Hingham Middle School, 1103 Main St, Route 228, Hingham, MA SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 11-5 SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 11-4 40 EXHIBITORS FROM 5 STATES Adult Admission $7.00, With MAD Ad $6.00 19th WELLS ANTIQUES SHOW To Be Held Rain or Shine At The Historic WELLS RESERVE at LAUDHOLM FARM 342 Laudholm Farm Road, Wells, ME Sunday, June 30, 10-4 75+ Exhibitors from through the Northeast Check Exhibitor List On Our Website Adult Admission $8.00 With this MAD ad $7.00 OTHER 2019 GOOSEFARE SHOWS July 20 & 21 39th CAMDEN-ROCKPORT ANTIQUES SHOW © Sat 9-3 Camden Hills Regional High School, Sun 11-4 Route 90, Rockport (Camden), Maine July 27 52nd NEW LONDON GARDEN CLUB Sat 10-4 ANTIQUES SHOW & SALE © On the New London Green, New London, NH Aug 10 & 11 91st KENNEBUNK ANTIQUES SHOW & SALE © Sat 10-5 Kennebunk High School Sun 11-4 89 Fletcher St., Kennebunk, Maine Aug 17 44th BARNSTABLE ANTIQUES SHOW & SALE © Sat 10-4 To Be Announced, Cape Cod, MA Aug 24 49th FALMOUTH ANTIQUES SHOW & SALE © Sat 10-3 On the grounds of the Falmouth Historical Society Palmer Ave., Falmouth, Cape Cod, Mass. Sept 14 & 15 3rd MAINE ANTIQUES EXPO at THOMPSON’S POINT© Sat 10-5 Thompson Point Events Center at Brick South Sun 11-4 Portland, Maine Oct 20 3rd NEW MILFORD ANTIQUES SHOW & SALE© Sun 10-4 New Milford High School, New Milford, CT Nov 3 21st NEEDHAM ANTIQUES SHOW & SALE © Sun 10-4 Needham High School, Needham, Mass. For Information about these and other shows, please contact us at: Goosefare Antiques & Promotions, John & Elizabeth DeSimone, P.O. Box 45, Saco, Maine 04072 Tel: (800) 641-6908 eMail: [email protected] www.goosefareantiques.com 108 Maine Antique Digest, March 2019.