Lot Essay
Games seats like this one were once common in the gardens and grounds of large country houses and estates. This was particularly so in the 19th century with the increasing popularity of garden games like croquet, bowls, tennis and badminton. The portability of the seats allowed them to be easily moved from the site of one game to another, allowing spectators to watch all the fun and frolics in comfort. The simple elegance of the reeded framework of these seats is archetypal of good English design, and they would grace the garden of any home, not necessarily for the spectating of sport, but simply to be moved from one favoured spot to another in the garden.