Royal Egyptian Dessert Plate Made in Czechoslovakia (Circa 1936-50) 9" in diameter Excellent condition, w/o chips or cracks The royal "F" at the center of the plate likely stands for "Farouk," although it might also stand for "Fuad," whom Farouk succeeded in 1936.
This plate was among many items confiscated from the estate of Egyptian King Farouk when he was overthrown by Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1952. I purchased it from an antiquities dealer in Cairo in 1980.
Hi Robert,
Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.
Also, when you purchased this, did the dealer you bought it from give you paperwork confirming the authenticity of the plate? Royal provenance will certainly add some value, more so if there is supporting documentation.
Thanks to advise,
Delia
Thanks. There were so many porcelain manufacturers in Czechoslovakia that it's unusual not to have a more specific factory mark other than just CZECHOSLOVAKIA.
I've found a recent sale of another single plate - slightly different service but also retailed by Gattegno with Farouk's monogram. It sold in a very well-publicized sale nearly two years ago and only brought $350 with an estimate of $400-600, which is what I would value your plate as. That plate had the advantage of having been sold at a Sotheby's sale but your plate has more decoration...all in all about the same as far as value goes.
(https://auctions.stairgalleries.com/lot/czechosolvakian-porcelain-dinner-plate-with-monogram-of-king-farouk-3956242)
Also, at 9 inches in diameter, this would be a luncheon plate; a salad or dessert plate would be closer in diameter to 8 inches.
If you were to sell this at auction, I would expect to see it catalogued as:
A Czechosolvakian Porcelain Luncheon Plate
Bearing the monogram of King Farouk of Egypt (1926-1965), reigning 1936-1952)
circa 1936-50
underglaze green mark, bearing retailers mark for J. Gattegno, Cairo
gilt rim with foliate swag centering monogram
CONDITION: client purports this to be in excellent condition
PROVENANCE: acquired from an antiquities dealer in Cairo in 1980
$400-600*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.
Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, and thank you again for using Mearto.
Hello Delia,
I have attached a full view of the plate's reverse side. As you can see, there are no other markings other than "Czechoslovakia."
As for authentication documentation, there is none. At that time, such procedures were unknown in the antiquities markets of the Middle East.