POSSIBLY BY JOHN LINNELL, CIRCA 1775

The chair compares in its profile and decoration, particularly on the arms, to the set of six armchairs supplied by John Linnell to the 3rd Duke of Argyll for Inveraray Castle, Scotland which was refurbished upon his accession in 1770 (H. Hayward and P. Kirkham, William and John Linnell, London, 1980, vol. II, p. 46, fig. 90). The 5th Duke's bank records include payments to John Linnell from 1774 and these may be the 'golden chairs' admired by a visitor in 1777. It further compares to sets of chairs attributed to Linnell at Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire at which Linnell enjoyed a longlasting patronage. One set with similarly gadrooned shaped feet is shown in situ in the Drawing Room at Kedleston (C. Hussey, English Country Houses, Mid-Georgian, London, 1956, p. 76, fig. 139).

The constructional features on this chair, cut-cramps and holes to the underside of the seat frame for joining, are known to have been used by Mayhew and Ince which leaves open the possibility for an attribution to this firm.