Pair of Gilded Open Armchairs Attributed to Thomas Chippendale, circa 1780

A fine pair of carved and gilded open armchairs in the manner of Thomas Chippendale, the gilding original but refreshed. Having oval backs with a carved and moulded rim crested with a stylized acanthus leaf and carved bead, the arms and their supports also shaped and molded with a carved bead with padded arm rests, the supports with a carved scroll, the seat having a show wood rail also molded with a carved bead, the front legs turned and reeded with collars above carved acanthus leaves at the foot, the rear legs terminating in scrolls. Circa 1775. Ht. 36 1/2", W. 23 1/2", D. 1`9 1/4", Seat ht. 17 1/4"

Provenance

Possibly part of a suite of royal furniture that left the Royal Collection under King George IV (please see below for details)

This pair of beautifully-drawn chairs are identical in almost every respect to a suite of seat furniture, six armchairs and two settees, supplied to Sir Richard Colt Hoare at Stourhead c.1780. This furniture has been attributed to Thomas Chippendale the Younger by Lucy Wood (see Furniture History 2011, pp. 89-90, figs. 34-37). The constructional details of this suite include such idiosyncratic features such as cramp cuts in the seat rails and an exposed back strut which are associated with attributions to the Chippendale workshops. These same features are present in the pair of chairs under discussion here. In fact the only notable difference between the Stourhead suite and our chairs is that the Stourhead examples lack the pearl beading on the frames which is a further sign of refinement on our models.

In her article, Lucy Wood noted the existence of other sets of near-identical chairs. One was made for Egremont House in London or Petworth House, Sussex, for the Earls of Egremont in c.1778 and another suite of 16 armchairs was supplied to Burton Constable. However it is a set of four chairs from Somerville House, Balrath, County Meath, Ireland which are of the greatest comparative value. These chairs mirror the present pair entirely, including the pearl beading, and have a fascinating history. Somerville House descended in the family of Lady Maria Conyngham, one of George IV's mistresses. It has long been alleged that Lady Conyngham stole items from the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle as George IV lay dying and this led to a long-running series of legal repercussions. In 1875, Lady Conyngham's daughter, Elizabeth, Countess of Charlemont, gave a sworn deposition in which she identified several pieces of furniture at Somerville which were allegedly given to her mother by George IV. It is possible that the set of four chairs were part of these gifts and they are certainly of a level of quality which would have graced any royal residence of the period. These chairs remained in Somerville House for the entire 20^th century, being sold early in the 21^st century at Sotheby's.

Whilst our chairs are not part of this set of four, it is highly likely that they were part of the same suite as originally made as no other suites, matching every detail, have been located. It is therefore possible that our chairs were part of a royal commission in the late 18^th century but this must remain speculative until documentary evidence of some sort is discovered. No payments from King George III or Queen Charlotte to Chippendale have been identified but the King's brother, the Duke of Gloucester, was a documented Chippendale client and it is through this connection that the large numbers of items of seat furniture in the present royal collection are believed to have been acquired. The pattern of the armchairs in the suite, viewable online, are once again related to our pair of chairs.

https://www.rct.uk/collection/search#/5/collection/100201/open-armchair

These chairs are made with a degree of refinement that is unusual and there is no doubt whatsoever that they were made for a wealthy client in the most modern taste of the time. Although their quality is self-evident, the overall design is not at all ostentatious and, as such, they are as practical today as they were when they were first made and would grace any interior whether traditional or contemporary.