1920 Bradley Hubbard Egyptian Revival Sphinx Bronze Bookends- Set of 2

Description

The world was agog when the British archaeologist Howard Carter, funded by the fifth Earl of Carnarvon, discovered the tomb … more The world was agog when the British archaeologist Howard Carter, funded by the fifth Earl of Carnarvon, discovered the tomb of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun in 1922. Jewelers such as Cartier launched Egyptian-style bijoux, textile companies rolled out fabrics recalling the days of Cleopatra, and haute couturières sent Nefertiti-worthy gowns down their runways. One could dine off neo-Egyptian china whilst wielding thematically related silver flatware, even scent oneself with perfumes bearing such names as Lotus Flower, Karnak, Ambar Nile, and Nuit d'Egypte, some of them contained within crystal flacons modeled after sarcophaguses, others shaped like pyramids. Bradley & Hubbard, a West Meriden, Connecticut manufacturer of artistic metalwork for the home, jumped on the Tut bandwagon, too, producing all manner of Egyptian-style exotica for its style-conscious client base. Among its offerings was a cast-iron book-end that was available, as shown in the pair here, in a golden finish, featuring bas-relief decorations on the front and a dimpled surface on the reverse. Crafted in the classic sloping shape of an Egyptian temple, it stars an image of the Great Sphinx of Giza. The sphinx is framed by eight lotus blossoms (six in full bloom, two being buds) and sheltered beneath an entablature that is emblazoned with a winged sun disc, symbolizing the sky god Horus Behdety, son of Re.
4.25ʺW × 1.75ʺD × 3.5ʺH
1920s less