Lot 131
A pair of George III carved mahogany open armchairsin the Hepplewhite style
20 November 2013, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street£5,000 - £8,000
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A pair of George III carved mahogany open armchairs
in the Hepplewhite style
The round pierced backs centred by a carved paterae issuing radiating leaves within a swag decorated outer-frame, the moulded outswept arms, on shaped supports, the serpentine upholstered seat on moulded square section stop-fluted legs and toupie feet. (2)
The round pierced backs centred by a carved paterae issuing radiating leaves within a swag decorated outer-frame, the moulded outswept arms, on shaped supports, the serpentine upholstered seat on moulded square section stop-fluted legs and toupie feet. (2)
Footnotes
Provenance: reputedly give to the ancestors of the late vendor by George Hepplewhite. According to family history these chairs are believed originally to have comprised a set of twelve 'sunflower back armchairs', made circa 1775. The story was that this pair of chairs from the dispersed set were presented by Hepplewhite to one of his apprentices, Walton the Elder, thence by descent to the present owner. Hepplewhite's The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer's Guide, 1st Edition, 1788, p.6 depicts a design for a related chair back.
Literature:
G. Owen Wheeler, English Furniture of the 17th and 18th centuries, p.301 (ill.)
Further comparable armchairs include an example illustrated in R. Edwards, The Dictionary of English Furniture, 1954, rev. ed., 3 vols., Vol. I, pl. 237, which was in the collection of Sir Sydney Greville and a set of six chairs with slatted seats which were exhibited by J.J. Wolff (antiques) Ltd. of New York at the CINOA International Art Treasures Exhibition, The V&A, London in 1962 (no.87). A pair of side chairs on plain square section legs are illustrated in C. Claxton-Steven and S. Whittington, The Norman Adams Collection, Suffolk, 1983, pl.74. A similar pair of chairs were offered by Quinneys Ltd. of Chester at the 11th Northern Antique Dealers Fair 1961 and a related chairback settee was formerly with Asprey Ltd, London.