Egyptian Revival Inkstand

Description

• Material: Cast bronze with a dark patinated/ebonized finish. Given the weight (just over 3 lbs) and crispness of the casting, it is a heavy bronze casting finished in a dark, oxidized patina meant to imitate basalt or dark bronze.
• Maker Mark (HP): The impressed initials “HP” on the underside are a known maker/foundry mark found on 19th and early 20th-century French metalwork (often associated with Parisian art foundries or brass/metalwork workshops producing desk accessories and decorative bronzes).
• Origin: France
• Date: Circa 1870s–1880s (French Second Empire to Third Republic era).
  • Context: The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 triggered a major wave of Egyptian Revival popularity across France and Europe, leading to intricate desk accessories like this one featuring pseudo-hieroglyphic and pharaonic motifs.

Detailed Breakdown of Symbols & Features

The design incorporates a rich collection of authentic and stylized ancient Egyptian iconography popular in Victorian-era revival arts:

1. Lid Finial: The God Khnum (or Amun-Ra)

• Design: The top handle of the lid depicts the head of a ram crowned with a solar disk flanked by the Uraeus (cobras) and traditional horizontal ram horns.
• Symbolism: This represents Khnum, the ancient ram-headed creator god associated with the Nile, creation, and pottery, or Amun-Ra in his ram form. The sun disk and cobras signify divine royal protection and solar power.

2. Inkwell Vessel & Profile Medallions

• Profile Medallions: Flanking the sides of the central urn-shaped inkwell are relief medallions portraying a Pharaoh or Queen in profile, wearing a traditional Egyptian Nemes headdress or braided wig with a crown band.
• Vertical Handles: The handles attached to the sides of the inkwell feature perched hawks or falcons (representing Horus), symbolic of divine kingship and sky power.
• Pseudo-Hieroglyphics: Surrounding the body of the inkwell are low-relief, decorative hieroglyphic panels featuring water waves (), building motifs, and geometric symbols arranged for aesthetic symmetry.

3. Tray Base & Cartouches

• Cartouches: Flanking the inkwell mount on the tray floor are oval cartouches (the traditional rope borders used in ancient Egypt to enclose the royal names of pharaohs). Inside are raised hieroglyphic symbols including:
  • The Eye of Horus (Wedjat) — Protection, health, and restoration.
  • The Ankh / Tjet — Symbol of life and protection.
  • The Reed Pen / Feather (), Sedge (), and Water Line () symbols, typical of royal titulary inscriptions.
• Winged Sun Disk Background: Spreading across the surface of the tray beneath the cartouches are vast outstretched wings representing the Winged Sun Disk (Behedeti), a classic symbol of divine protection, light, and heavenly sovereignty.

4. Side Handles: The Scarab Beetle (Khepri)

• Design: The tray handles at either end are fully sculpted as large Scarab Beetles (Scarabaeus sacer) grasping rounded rings.
• Symbolism: The scarab was one of the most vital symbols in ancient Egyptian theology, representing Khepri, the god of the rising sun, rebirth, creation, and transformation.

Summary Table