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Lot Essay
Designed in the Chinese manner expounded by Sir William Chambers in his Designs for Chinese Buildings, Furniture, Dresses, Machines and Utensils of 1757, these exotic "Pagoda" chairs are derived from chair patterns published by Thomas Chippendale in The Gentleman & Cabinet-Maker's Director, 3rd edn., London, 1762, pl. XXVII, where nine such designs were published. The present chairs bear evidence of old japanning in areas and some incised detailing to the backs suggestive of previous decoration. It is highly likely that the original decoration was in keeping with that found on a nearly identical set of chairs from the collection of the Viscount Cobham at Hagley Hall, Worcester. The chairs at Hagley Hall are japanned and parcel-gilt with chinoiseries and stylized Chinese caligraphy (see O. Brackett, Thomas Chippendale, London, 1924, pl. XV).
These chairs are also closely related to the celebrated suite of supplied to Ingress Abbey, Kent. This latter suite was probably commissioned by the 2nd Earl of Bessborough shortly after purchasing Ingress Abbey in 1748, and it was almost certainly Sir William Chambers provided the design, as Chambers is known to have carried out improvements at Ingress up until, and beyond 1760, when the Abbey was sold to John Calcraft. That Chambers continued to be employed at Ingress is revealed in a letter of 4 September 1772, written by Chambers to an agent of Calcraft's, requesting payment of a long outstanding debt of 84 (J. Harris, Sir William Chambers, Knight of the Polar Star, London, 1970, p.212). The Ingress suite is illustrated in Ralph Edwards, The Dictionary of English Furniture, rev. edn., London, 1954, vol. III, p. 84, fig. 33 whilst two pairs of chairs from the suite were sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 17 October 1987, lots 143-44.
Further related suites of Chinoiserie seat-furniture include that supplied to Lytham House, Lancashire (illustrated in Country Life, 28 July 1960, p. 189, pl. 3), another suite supplied to Sir John Mordaunt Cope, 9th Baronet (d.1770) for Bramshill, Hampshire (see the pair of stools sold from the estate of Mrs. John Hay Whitney, Sotheby's New York, 22-25 April 1999, lot 119), and a final suite commissioned by Christopher Griffin (d.1776) for Padworth House, Berkshire (illustrated in H. Avray Tipping, 'Padworth House - II', Country Life, 23 September 1922, pp.372-7). A pair of similar side chairs was sold in these Rooms, 21 October 1999, lot 177 ($46,000).
These chairs are also closely related to the celebrated suite of supplied to Ingress Abbey, Kent. This latter suite was probably commissioned by the 2nd Earl of Bessborough shortly after purchasing Ingress Abbey in 1748, and it was almost certainly Sir William Chambers provided the design, as Chambers is known to have carried out improvements at Ingress up until, and beyond 1760, when the Abbey was sold to John Calcraft. That Chambers continued to be employed at Ingress is revealed in a letter of 4 September 1772, written by Chambers to an agent of Calcraft's, requesting payment of a long outstanding debt of 84 (J. Harris, Sir William Chambers, Knight of the Polar Star, London, 1970, p.212). The Ingress suite is illustrated in Ralph Edwards, The Dictionary of English Furniture, rev. edn., London, 1954, vol. III, p. 84, fig. 33 whilst two pairs of chairs from the suite were sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 17 October 1987, lots 143-44.
Further related suites of Chinoiserie seat-furniture include that supplied to Lytham House, Lancashire (illustrated in Country Life, 28 July 1960, p. 189, pl. 3), another suite supplied to Sir John Mordaunt Cope, 9th Baronet (d.1770) for Bramshill, Hampshire (see the pair of stools sold from the estate of Mrs. John Hay Whitney, Sotheby's New York, 22-25 April 1999, lot 119), and a final suite commissioned by Christopher Griffin (d.1776) for Padworth House, Berkshire (illustrated in H. Avray Tipping, 'Padworth House - II', Country Life, 23 September 1922, pp.372-7). A pair of similar side chairs was sold in these Rooms, 21 October 1999, lot 177 ($46,000).