Lot Essay
The re-covering of this sofa in 18th Century tapestry probably occurred in the second half of the 19th Century. Very early Country Life photographs of Rufford, taken in 1903, show large numbers of tapestries and a very rich level of decoration.
This form of rectangular-backed sofa with voluted arms corresponds to one supplied in 1735 for Arthur, 6th Viscount Irwin, by William Hallett (d.1773), cabinet-maker and upholsterer of Long Acre. That sofa and twelve side chairs was sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 29 June 1978, lot 19
This type of acanthus-enrichment appear on the legs of parlour chairs at Holkham Hall, Norfolk (see: R. Edwards and P. Macquoid, The Dictionary of English Furniture, rev. ed., 1954, vol. I, p. 275)
This form of rectangular-backed sofa with voluted arms corresponds to one supplied in 1735 for Arthur, 6th Viscount Irwin, by William Hallett (d.1773), cabinet-maker and upholsterer of Long Acre. That sofa and twelve side chairs was sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 29 June 1978, lot 19
This type of acanthus-enrichment appear on the legs of parlour chairs at Holkham Hall, Norfolk (see: R. Edwards and P. Macquoid, The Dictionary of English Furniture, rev. ed., 1954, vol. I, p. 275)