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Item details

Height

92.0 cm

Width

105.0 cm

Depth

55.0 cm

Wear conditions Wear conditions

Good

Wear conditions

Excellent

Shows little to no signs of wear and tear.

Good

May show slight traces of use in keeping with age. Most vintage and antique items fit into this condition.

Average

Likely to show signs of some light scratching and ageing but still remains in a fair condition.

Apparent Wear and Tear

Visible signs of previous use including scratches, chips or stains.

Please refer to condition report, images or make a seller enquiry for additional information.

Description

An Extremely Rare and Possibly Unique Walnut and Inlaid Egyptian Revival Bench or Window Seat

French Circa - 1922-25

Of exhibition quality, made from solid walnut and profusely inlaid with geometric tesserae including bone and ivory, along with ebony, purplewood and fruitwood. One end comprising of dual monopodiae supports with carved mythical animal masks and a dividing pierced splat, the rectangular framed woven seat with dual raised tails to the opposing short side that are joined at their ends above the long rear side, the conforming legs with carved human feet.

The stylised heads do not seem to resemble any one particular animal or Egyptian god-they have elements that might suggest they are panthers, others that suggest the dog god Anubis, and in all likelihood they were simply meant to have been seen as fantastical representations of mythical beings.

The heads are yoked together with something approaching a more conventional chair splat with the heads, rails, tails and splat are all inlaid with a combination of exotic woods including ebony, purpleheart and fruitwoods as well as ivory and bone in the ancient Egyptian taste. This sort of profuse inlay is common on the best Art Deco furniture but, of course, the use of Egyptian motifs is much more unusual.

A date of c.1922 is highly likely to be accurate as it was in this year that a craze for Egyptomania seized the world due to the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb by Harold Carter and his team in the Valley of the Kings. We have included an image of the antechamber in the tomb showing furniture stacked up in piles and it is possible to see part of two of the benches of related form which must have inspired the present piece. The furniture in the tomb was gilded and/or painted and not inlaid so the maker of our piece clearly decided to take the most time-consuming route possible when producing this bench and no expense was spared. Whereas items such as Egyptian revival jewels by Cartier and the like survive in reasonable numbers, pieces of furniture in this taste are extremely rare.

The delicacy of the work and the design of this extraordinary piece of furniture suggests that it was probably made by a leading French workshop of the period. Related articles have been sold a few times over the years but none have quite the delicacy of the present piece and the particularly refined inlay work on a walnut base, most of these pieces utilising woods such as cedar instead.

A pair of stools in the form of lions which bear comparison with the present piece are illustrated in B.M. Newman, Fantasy Furniture, 1989, New York, p. 34.

Ever since the first European explorers visited Egypt the country and its iconography have been a source of great interest to European connoisseurs and those who execute designs for the decorative arts. Vivant Denon's evocative drawings of Egypt and its antiquities, produced whilst on campaign with Napoleon in 1798-1801 caused a sensation and inspired the work of designers in England such as Thomas Hope and George Smith and the construction of buildings such as William Bullock's Egyptian Museum in London. However when tombs in Egypt began to be systematically excavated in the 20th century and some of the incredible treasures they contained were photographed and shown in newspapers worldwide a whole new mania was created. The discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb and its largely untouched contents in remarkable condition gripped the world and visits to see the treasures in Cairo or on one of their increasingly rare international exhibition tours are the only ways that most people today can experience these incredible objects. This bench is a rare example of a furniture maker bringing the past up to date fusing the latest styles and techniques with a truly ancient taste making this bench is a real conversation piece.

The item within this lot containing ivory has been registered in accordance with the Ivory Act (Section 10). Ref GJU8Q83

Additional dimensions information:

Width: 41 1/4 inches - 105cm Height: 36 1/2 inches - 92cm Depth: 21 1/2 inches - 55cm

Material
Walnut
Manufactured
1920s
Origin
France
Item location
Benington , United Kingdom
Period
Early 20th Century
Designer
Unknown
Brand
Unknown
Condition
Used

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Returns

We have a 14-day return guarantee for orders from individual sellers, within the UK and European Union. View full policy.

Estimated delivery time

One to two weeks

Free collection available

No

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Professional
5.0 / 5
Located in Benington, United Kingdom
  • Selling at Vinterior since 2019
  • Ships from Benington, United Kingdom

Seller Reviews

Cancellations and Returns

Last updated: 17th October 2024

Our Terms of sale were designed to treat both Customers and Vendors (including Professional Vendors and Non-Professional Vendors (as defined in the Site Terms)) fairly, in order to make the shopping/selling experience with Vinterior just as exceptional as the items.

To protect our Customers from disappointment or the unexpected, we strongly encourage them to closely inspect item photos, descriptions, and details before purchasing anything on the Site, and then again upon delivery or pickup.

If the Customer is unsure about an item's condition, dimensions, quantity, or description, they can send their questions to the item's Vendor by clicking on Ask the seller on the listing page of the Site.

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Should you have any questions regarding your transaction, please contact the Vendor in the first instance.

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The right to cancel does not apply to the following types of goods, which are non-refundable: items that are personalised, bespoke, or made-to-order according to the customer's specific requirements. If in doubt, the Customer can contact the Vendor via the Site.

If the Customer cancels an order after an item has already been marked as dispatched for delivery, the delivery costs are non-refundable.

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At Vinterior, we understand that sometimes a piece may not be the perfect fit once it's in your home. That's why we offer a 14-day return policy, allowing you to return any item within 14 days from the date of delivery for any reason.

In the rare event that an item arrives damaged or defective, you have 30 days from the date of delivery to return it for a full refund or to have the issue fixed when possible.

Please note that certain items are non-refundable, including those that are personalised, bespoke, or made-to-order according to your specific requirements.

Types of returns and responsibilities

Change of mind return

Consumers can return the goods due to a change of mind. Once a return is requested, the buyer is in charge of shipping the goods back to the seller and should organise it as soon as possible. Shipment costs to and from buyers are non-refundable.

Item not fit for purpose

Acting under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, customers may return faulty Goods that are damaged or the listing on the Site is materially inaccurate, misleading, or misrepresents the Goods. In these cases, the Customer must provide photographic evidence to Vinterior and the Vendor or reject the delivery on arrival.

Damage in transit

Vinterior must be informed of any damage in transit. If Proovia delivered the items, Vinterior will then raise an insurance claim on behalf of the Vendor with the delivery company. If the seller organised a delivery, they would be asked to raise a claim with their courier. Once the claim is resolved and any relevant decision regarding the insurance has been made, any applicable refunds will be processed.

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How you will be refunded?

Once the item is returned to the Vendor in the same condition, the Vendor will confirm receipt of the item, and Vinterior will refund the original payment method.

If an item is returned to the seller damaged or in an unsuitable condition, Vinterior will not be able to process the refund, and the seller may have to send it back (and ask you to cover the delivery costs). All items are inspected on return.

What can't be returned?

As with cancellations, the right to return an item does not apply to the following types of Goods, which are non-refundable: items that are personalised, bespoke or made-to-order to the Customer's specific requirements.

Please note that vintage items are not sold as new and are likely to show signs of wear and tear. This is not sufficient grounds for a refund.

Vendors may refuse a return of an item if the Customer has altered it in any way.

Neither Vinterior nor the Vendors are liable for any damages or loss sustained in transit via third parties.

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