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Lot Essay
The design of this metamorphic armchair library steps corresponds very closely to the design first published in Ackermann's Repository of Arts, in July 1811 and captioned 'This ingenious piece of furniture is manufactured at Messrs. Morgan and Sanders's, Catherine-St. Strand' (P. Agius, Ackermann's Regency Furniture & Interiors, Marlborough, 1984, p. 60, pl. 29). This chair was 'considered the best and handsomest article ever yet invented, where two complete pieces of furniture are combined in one - an elegant and truly comfortable armchair and a set of library steps'.
Mrs. Ann Jessop succeeded James Jessop in his cabinet-making and upholstery business in Sheffield and was probably his widow. She moved to this address about 1839 and the label is recorded on a few other items (G. Beard and C. Gilbert (eds.), The Dictionary of English Furniture Makers, Leeds, 1986, p. 488).
Mrs. Ann Jessop succeeded James Jessop in his cabinet-making and upholstery business in Sheffield and was probably his widow. She moved to this address about 1839 and the label is recorded on a few other items (G. Beard and C. Gilbert (eds.), The Dictionary of English Furniture Makers, Leeds, 1986, p. 488).