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Lot Essay
The chair's interlaced serpentined back and frame derive from patterns published by the Huguenot ornamentalist, William de la Cour, in his First Book of Ornament, published in 1741. The pattern book illustrated related chair designs with folded-ribbon splats, scallop-centred crests with flowered scrolls and carvings which included the nature-goddess scallop shell combined with Roman foliage. De la Cour's designs played an influential role in the development of the St. Martin's Lane Academy and its associated style. Although of slightly later date, the chair's interlaced back relates to a set of twelve dining-chairs supplied in 1760-61 to Robert Child for Upton House, Oxfordshire by John Linnell and sold by the late Dr. Eric Till, in these Rooms, 14 June 2001, lot 20.
Four examples of this chair pattern are known. In addition to the present chair, one was in the collection of Samuel Messer, another collector in the Symonds tradition (sold from The Samuel Messer Collection of English Furniture, Clocks and Barometers, in these Rooms, 5 December 1991, lot 58 (£39,600); another was sold anonymously, Christie's, New York, 7 April 2006, lot 230 ($192,000); and a fourth is in a private collection, recently bought through Mallett's, although the latter features a drop-in seat.
Four examples of this chair pattern are known. In addition to the present chair, one was in the collection of Samuel Messer, another collector in the Symonds tradition (sold from The Samuel Messer Collection of English Furniture, Clocks and Barometers, in these Rooms, 5 December 1991, lot 58 (£39,600); another was sold anonymously, Christie's, New York, 7 April 2006, lot 230 ($192,000); and a fourth is in a private collection, recently bought through Mallett's, although the latter features a drop-in seat.