An Egyptian parcel gilt hardwood throne armchair: Princess Sitamun
Giuseppe Parvis, Cairo
circa 1900
With maker's plaque to underside.
height 34in (86.5cm); width 23 1/2in (60cm); depth of seat 17in (43cm)
Provenance:
Property of a Spanish Private Collector, Sotheby's, London, 18 May 2021, lot 141.
Property from the Collection of Craig Wright.

Footnote:
The end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th 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.

The piece offered here is a direct copy of the throne of princess Sitamun, the daughter of Pharaoh Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye of the 18th Dynasty, which is currently in the collection of the Egyptian Museum, Cairo.

Giuseppe Parvis (1831-1909) was born in Breme in Lombardy who studied at the Accademia Albertina in Turin. In 1859 he settled in Cairo where he made and sold furniture (fig. 1. shows an identical armchair displayed in his showroom). 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'.

height of seat 15 1/4; height of arms 26in; overall depth 25in.

Structurally sound. Very well made. General marks, scratches, rubbing and wear. Some losses to parcel gilding. Seat appears original and very sound - some staining. Lacking one gilt panel from back as visible in catalogue photos.