Gayer-Anderson

[newcastle]

One of the most interesting sites I like to visit when in Cairo is the house (now a museum) of Major R. G. Gayer-Anderson.

The Gayer-Anderson Museum is an art museum located in Cairo, Egypt. It is situated adjacent to the Mosque of Ahmad ibn Tulun in the Sayyida Zeinab neighborhood. The building takes its name from Major R.G. Gayer-Anderson Pasha, who resided in the house between 1935 and 1942 with special permission from the Egyptian Government. The museum is noted for being one of the best-preserved examples of 17th-century domestic architecture left in Cairo, and also for its vast collection of furniture, carpets, curio, and other objects.

For more info read :

http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories ... derson.htm

There's a fascinating history of a beautiful cat statue which he possessed, and which is now in the BM, in this interesting blog by my friend Nigel Fletcher-Jones.



Gayer-Anderson: The Man Behind The Cat

Gayer-Anderson, mostly known for the ancient cat that was once in his collection, led a fascinating life as an adventurer, surgeon, soldier, collector, dilettante, and lover and preserver of beauty.

http://egypttoday.com/blog/2016/11/28/g ... d-the-cat/

[Hafiz]

Restrained, elegant small palace set up to resemble the living conditions of the elite a century or more ago. The only example of its type in Cairo and utterly different to the tacky 'Louis-Farouk' style of the other palaces in Cairo and a more engaging experience than peering at the 'caged' objects in the Islamic Museum.

Bit difficult to find/out of the way, but well worth making an afternoon of it by combining it with the close by ibn Tulin mosque.

Some more info is also at: http://www.travelcenturies.com/depdetai ... -Kiritliya which is better than you would expect from a mere tourist site. The website of the Supreme Antiques gives it little attention which might explain poor patronage.

Maybe Newcastle's post could begin a round of posts on interesting under appreciated sites.

[newcastle]

I found this account of Gayer-Anderson's personal life interesting!

http://www.independent.ie/life/the-iris ... 37415.html

[Winged Isis]

The museum always gets a visit from me every time I'm in Cairo.