Royal Silver-Plated Serving Tray

A silent witness to royal history.

This silver-plated serving tray originates from the household of the Egyptian royal family and was once in the personal possession of King Faruq I — the penultimate King of Egypt, whose reign ended with the revolution of 1952. When Faruq fled into exile, this tray accompanied him on his journey to Geneva, where it remained as a tangible relic of a fallen dynasty.

The craftsmanship is unmistakable: the finely beaded rim, the elegantly proportioned handles, and the heraldic coat of arms engraved at the centre all speak of a commission intended not merely for daily use but for ceremonial occasions at the highest level of society. This was a tray that bore crystal and porcelain in the gilded salons of Abdeen Palace, that was carried by gloved hands through rooms where the fate of a nation was discussed over tea and diplomacy.

For nearly four decades after Faruq’s exile, the tray remained in the possession of a Swiss family in Bern — a quiet custodian of an extraordinary provenance. It has now been acquired by the HUBER COLLECTION, where it takes its place among objects that embody the intersection of art, history, and power.

The patina on its surface is not wear — it is memory. Every shadow, every subtle darkening of the silver plate records the passage of time and the weight of the occasions it has witnessed. To stand before this tray is to feel the presence of a vanished world: the elegance of a royal court, the drama of exile, and the quiet dignity of an object that has outlived the empire it once served.

Provenance & Details