These chairs are from a larger set of which six other examples are known. The other six chairs belonged to Earl Mountnorris, Viscount Valentina and comprised part of the furnishing of the of the library at Arley Castle, Staffordshire, the effects of which were sold by Messrs. Farebrother Clark & Lye, 6-18 December 1852. The chairs were sold in this sale in three pairs (lots 1644-1646); the second two pairs were purchased by R. Woodward Esq. whereby they descended through the family who sold one pair at Sotheby's London, 16 November 1990, lot 246 and the other, Sotheby's London, 5 July 1991, lot 59. Another chair from this set is illustrated in R. Edwards, The Divctionary of English Furniture, rev.edn., 1954, vol. I, p. 255, fig. 88.

These exceptional serpentine-framed parlour chairs are richly carved with acanthus fretted ribbons in the French 'arabesque' manner and crested by Venus' scallop shell and acanthus. The compass-molded seat rail with antique stippled ground, and cabriole legs are also carved with shells and acanthus.