An ebonised giltwood, gilt-metal and ivory inlaid bookcase in Egyptian Revival style, 1884-1907, by Giuseppe Parvis

the upper section with a frieze depicting a cobra, falcon and winged vulture, the two front glass doors flanked by pillars with the head of the goddess Hator, the sides with pharaohs heads, a sphinx and hieroglyphs, on a base with ibis heads; (with an old electrical fitting)

Bought by Rama V Chulalongkorn, king of Siam (1853-1910) circa 1907

Egyptian room by Giuseppe Parvis, Italian General Exhibition, 1884, Turin

Literature:
E. Warmenbol, L. Delvaux et J.-M. Humbert, "De l'Egypte à l'Orient : dans les meubles de pharaon. L'égyptomanie d'un roi de Siam", in Art&Fact, 2014, p. 76, fig. 4

Related literature:
Exh. cat. Egyptomania. L'Egypte dans l'art occidental 1730, Paris/Ottawa, 1994.

The illustration of the catalogue is accurate despite being slightly to bright regarding the gilding. Good overall condition despite the inevitable minor scratches and marks due to age and use. A few minor losses to the ivory marquetry friezes. It has been fitted with an inner electrical lighting which has to be revised before any use. We do not guarantee the electrical system is in working order. The key is missing but it can be easily reproduced Highly decorative piece with a good quality of details.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Egyptian decorative vocabulary emerged in the French decorative art language at the end of the eighteenth century, under the reign of Louis XVI, but it was not until Napoleon Bonaparte's campaigns in Egypt from 1798, that the publications of artistic and architectural references and designs appeared and from which artists were able to draw inspiration. These include, le Recueil d'observations et de mémoires sur l'Egypte ancienne et moderne by the French cartographer Edme- François Jomard and Dominique Vivant-Denon's Voyage en la Basse and Haute Egypte of 1802.  At the invitation of Bonaparte, Denon joined the expedition to Egypt and was subsequently appointed Director of the Central Museum of the Arts, the future Louvre Museum.

The end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century saw a renewed interest in Egypt, following archaeological excavations largely funded by the French, British and German governments when several important discoveries were made, including the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb by Howard Carter in 1922.

All the decorative ornament on this vitrine is reminiscent of Egypt and a large number of iconographic elements are represented. The base is reminiscent of sleds used by the pharaohs, the central gilt-bronze ornament with winged vulture, lotus leaf capitals adorned with the heads of the goddess Hator,sphinxes and hawks. The very shape of this vitrine reflects the drawings by Emile Prisse d'Avennes of the niche of Mammisi ("House of Births") of Denderah on the 53rd plate of his Atlas of Egyptian Art, published from 1858 to 1878. The profiles to the left and right are Pharaoh Amenhotep III and Queen Tiyi (Figure 5) and King Taharqa in Amun (Ibid., plate 38).

Besides the aesthetic decoration, this vitrine combines several interesting elements and the hieroglyphs are all legible and include the name of the cabinetmaker, the date of manufacture and the name of the sponsor. It was made by Giuseppe Parvis (1831-1909). Born in Bremen in Lombardy, he studied at the Accademia Albertina in Turin. In 1859 he settled in Cairo where he made and sold furniture (Fig. 3). He gained international fame following the Universal Expositions in Paris in 1867, Philadelphia in 1876, Milan in 1881 and Turin in 1884 where he exhibited his Egyptian bedroom and where a cabinet very close to ours was presented (Fig. 4). Note a secretaire with a similar construction to our piece and a bureau recently offered on the market in Paris and New York. 

The present piece is dated 1907 and the name of its sponsor is also known as King Chulalongkorn, Rama V (1853-1910), King of Siam, today called Thailand. He ruled from 1868 to 1910 (Figure 1) and travelled to Europe, including Paris in 1897 and 1907, via the Suez Canal. He would thus have stopped in Egypt and probably acquired the present piece during one of his visits.