There’ll be no auction after-all, of ancient Egyptian artifacts, in St. Louis.

An archaeological society there, won’t sell off the rare items – because the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York stepped-in and purchased the whole  collection.

The Treasure of Harageh collection consists of 37 items.

There are vases and flasks and jewelry – inlaid with lapis lazuli.

The collection dates to around 1900 B.C. and had been owned for the past 100 years by the non-profit St. Louis Society of the Archaeological Institute of America.

American and British historians condemned the proposed auction – because they feared the loss of a valuable cultural resource to the private marketplace.

British auction house Bonhams withdrew the treasure Thursday – and announced the new deal today.