ATTRIBUTED TO MAYHEW AND INCE, CIRCA 1775

A set of eight nearly identical chairs were supplied to George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick (d. 1818) for Warwick Castle, and most recently sold Christie's, London, 10 April 2003, lot 25. The set was almost certainly delivered by the eminent cabinet-makers Mayhew and Ince, whose successful partnership lasted from circa 1759 to 1804. The Greville accounts at Hoare's Bank from 1774-1777 list payments to the firm totalling £180 which would suggest a relatively small commission (The Dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660-1840, Leeds, 1986, p. 595). The same leg and arm construction was used on a large suite supplied to Richard Myddleton for Chirk Castle, Denbighshire, that is also confidently attributed to Mayhew and Ince (examples of which were sold from Chirk, Christie's, London, 21 June 2004, lots 50 and 51).

A set of four chairs of this precise model and probably from the same suite was sold, the property of a Lady, Christie's, London, 17 November 1994, lot 135 (£20,700).