ATTRIBUTED TO THOMAS CHIPPENDALE, CIRCA 1775

Several armchairs with closely related features are illustrated in C.Gilbert, The Life & Work of Thomas Chippendale, 1978. The cresting of the oval back, the scrolled clasp of the arm terminal and the leaf cup bracket beneath the arm support show similarities with a suite supplied by Chippendale to Sir Penistone Lamb around 1773 for Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire (Gilbert, op.cit., vol.II, p.109, fig.186), and another attributed to Chippendale at Windsor Castle (Gilbert, op.cit., vol.II, p.109, fig.185). The leaf and berry pattern seat rail has parallels with the suite commissioned for the Tapestry Room at Newby Hall, Yorkshire (Gilbert, op.cit., vol.II, p.107, fig.180), particularly in the manner in which it is wrapped around the seat in an unbroken line. Another suite sharing these characteristics is that supplied by Chippendale in 1778 to Sir Rowland Winn, Bt., for Nostell Priory (Gilbert, op.cit., vol.II, p.108, fig.184). The attribution is further strengthened on constructional grounds, the present lot featuring V-shaped notches in the seat rails for securing cramps, a method characteristic of Chippendale's work.

Among related chairs offered for sale, the closest parallel is perhaps two pairs sold anonymously Sotheby's London, 15 November 1985, lots 84 and 85.