Farouk of Egypt

==Hobbies==

===Coin collection===
King Farouk amassed one of the most famous coin collections in history which included an extremely rare American gold minted [[1933 double eagle]] coin<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goldrushgallery.com/news/gumshoe.html|title=Numismatic "Gumshoe:" On the Trail of King Farouk|first=Carl N.|last=Lester|publisher=Gold Rush Gallery}}</ref> and (non-concurrently), two [[1913 Liberty Head nickel]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://coinfacts.com/nickels/liberty_head_nickels/1913_liberty_head_five_cents.htm|title=1913 Liberty Head Five Cents|publisher=Coinfacts|access-date=18 June 2012}}</ref>

The 1954 auction of the exiled King Farouk's coin collection was the biggest auction of the 20th century, The Egyptian government sold the collection, and London's Baldwin and Co. was commissioned to describe the coins.

===Style and personality===

The ostentatious king's name is used to describe imitation [[Louis Quinze|Louis XV-style furniture]] known as "Louis-Farouk".<ref>{{cite web|title = King Farouk's Massive, $1M Mercury-Gilded Mahogany Bedroom Set Rivals Louis XV's|url = http://www.artfixdaily.com/artwire/release/9002-king-farouks-massive-1m-mercury-gilded-mahogany-bedroom-set-rival|website = ArtfixDaily|access-date = 24 November 2015}}</ref> The imperial French style furniture became fashionable among Egypt's upper classes during Farouk's reign so Egyptian artisans began to mass-produce it. The style uses ornate carving, is heavily gilded, and is covered in elaborate cloth.<ref>Burke, C: ''Lee Miller, a life'', p. 151. University of Chicago Press, 2005</ref> The style, or imitations thereof, remains widespread in Egypt. The originals such as Aubusson and Gobelin came directly from France and are not copied in Egypt.

Farouk's eccentricities were exaggerated by later accounts. One apocryphal story tells how Farouk suffered from nightmares in which he was chased by a lion. He sought the advice of pro-Axis rector [[Mustafa al-Maraghi]], who told him, "You will not rest until you have shot a lion." Thereupon, Farouk shot two, at the Cairo zoo.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Barrie St. Clair McBride |title=Farouk of Egypt, a Biography |date=1967 |publisher=Hale |page=114 }}</ref>