Zaccagnini Tutankhamun Table Lamp, Silver & Gold Ceramic, Italy, 1960s/70s

A figural table lamp in the form of Tutankhamun's funerary mask, made of ceramic by the Zaccagnini manufactory in Sesto Fiorentino near Florence, Italy, probably in the 1960s or 1970s. Founded by Ugo Zaccagnini in 1905, the company became internationally known for artistic ceramics and decorative sculpture and later produced a large range of ceramic lamps whose gold and silver glazes were particularly sought after from the 1960s to the 1980s. The front edge of the black wooden base is hand-painted with the manufactory's Z monogram, the word "Italy" and the inscription "A1959". Zaccagnini identified its models with combinations of a letter and numbers, so the inscription is most likely a model number rather than a year. A matching pharaoh's head in silver and gold on a black wooden base with a Z mark is likewise attributed to Zaccagnini in the international trade.

The nemes headdress is modelled in relief: at the front its bands fall to the shoulders in bold, deliberately irregular horizontal stripes, while at the back they gather in vertical folds and end in a lively textured hem. The headdress is covered in a mirror-like silver metallic glaze with a chrome-like effect, while the face, ears and neck are set off in warm, gleaming gold; the uraeus cobra rises from the brow as a sign of royal dignity. A brass-coloured stem rises from the crown and carries a rectangular black fabric shade that tapers slightly towards the top. The combination of an ancient motif and shining metallic surfaces is typical of the Hollywood Regency taste of those years, when the Tutankhamun exhibitions shown around the world sparked a new enthusiasm for ancient Egypt. On a sideboard, console or chest of drawers the lamp becomes a sculptural focal point, both switched off and switched on, when the light plays across the glazes.

The lamp measures approx. 62 cm in height including the shade, 35 cm in width and 23 cm in depth. It is in very good condition: the silver and gold glazes are vivid and free of chips, and only light signs of wear on the black lacquered wooden base hint at its age. The lamp is fitted with an E27 socket and is operated by an inline switch on the cable. As with all vintage lamps, we recommend having it checked by a qualified electrician before use.