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Lot Essay
Claude Galle, of the rue du Four Saint-Germain, was elected maÎtre in 1786. His celebrated 'Egyptian' model enjoyed enduring popularity during the Empire period, as a result of Napolon's campaigns in Egypt and the subsequent publication of Baron Vivant-Denon's Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Egypte, 1802. A pair of related Egyptian candelabra, forming part of a garniture and attributed to Claude Galle, bronzier au Garde-Meuble, is illustrated in H. Ottomeyer, P. Prschel et al., Vergoldete Bronzen, Munich, 1986, p. 338, fig. 5.3.6. A further near identical pair is illustrated in 'Egyptomania', Exhibition Catalogue, Paris, 1994, p. 290, fig. 4 and in P.-M. Favelac, Aujourd'hui s'installer en Directoire, Empire, Paris, p. 46. A closely related pair was sold Sotheby's London, 3 March 2006, lot 6 (£16,800 incl.).
The French Egyptian manner was also fashionable in Britain during the opening years of the 19th century, one of its greatest exponents being Thomas Hope (d. 1831). Alexis Decaix (d.1811), who was acclaimed as one of Regency London's leading ormolu manufacturers, supplied related objects in the Egyptian manner to Hope which were displayed in his Duchess Street 'Museum'. A related Egyptian 'Isis' inkstand, attributed to Decaix was sold The Humphry Whitbread Collection, Christie's London, 5 April 2001, lot 384 (£ 52,875 incl.), it incorporated almost identical patinated bronze kneeling Naophori priestesses beside 'cippi' altars similarly decorated with hieroglyphics and mounted on a 'pylon' plinth. An inkstand of the same model, but mounted in ormolu was acquired in 1810 by George, Prince of Wales, later George IV. It was illustrated in the 'Jutsham' pictorial ledger for the contents of Carlton House, and noted as being purchased from 'Dupasquier' (H. Clifford Smith, Buckingham Palace, London, 1931, p. 203 and pl. 236).
The French Egyptian manner was also fashionable in Britain during the opening years of the 19th century, one of its greatest exponents being Thomas Hope (d. 1831). Alexis Decaix (d.1811), who was acclaimed as one of Regency London's leading ormolu manufacturers, supplied related objects in the Egyptian manner to Hope which were displayed in his Duchess Street 'Museum'. A related Egyptian 'Isis' inkstand, attributed to Decaix was sold The Humphry Whitbread Collection, Christie's London, 5 April 2001, lot 384 (£ 52,875 incl.), it incorporated almost identical patinated bronze kneeling Naophori priestesses beside 'cippi' altars similarly decorated with hieroglyphics and mounted on a 'pylon' plinth. An inkstand of the same model, but mounted in ormolu was acquired in 1810 by George, Prince of Wales, later George IV. It was illustrated in the 'Jutsham' pictorial ledger for the contents of Carlton House, and noted as being purchased from 'Dupasquier' (H. Clifford Smith, Buckingham Palace, London, 1931, p. 203 and pl. 236).