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Lot Essay
These rare solid satinwood chairs were supplied by the Royal cabinet-maker Charles Elliott in 1797 to William Tuffnell of Langleys. They were invoiced as '10 Satin Wood Gothic back Chairs with Elbows strung with purple wood & sleigh seats......Japanning Tablets in the Backs of do. & varnishing'. William Tuffnell had succeeded to Langleys in 1793 and employed Elliott shortly afterwards for the decoration and furnishing of two fine rooms, the Green and Yellow Drawing Rooms - as well as bedroom appartments. This is undoubtedly Elliott's best documented commission, and although only one of Elliott's bills covering the years 1797-98 survives, it reveals that he supplied, as well as these chairs, 'stoves in both rooms, chairs and tables in the green drawing room, window curtains and carpets in do., girandoles, bronze figures and two pier glasses' as well as commodes and sofas en suite.
Charles Elliott received royal appointments from 1783 to 1810 for which he was paid a fixed quarterly salary of £157 10s. During this time, Elliott was engaged at the Houses of Parliment, the Queen's House (now Buckingham Palace), St. James's, Kew Palace, Kensington Palace and Newmarket Palace with repair work, the cleaning of furniture and of upholstery. In addition to this contracted work, he also received fixed amounts for providing and installing furniture, mirrors, upholstery and carpets. Elliott was listed at 97 New Bond Street until 1808, at which time he and his brother-in-law, William Frances, entered into partnership and listed their firm as Elliott & Francis at 104 New Bond Street (G. Beard and C. Gilbert, eds., The Dictionary of English Furniture: 1660-1840, Leeds, 1986, pp. 273-274).
Charles Elliott received royal appointments from 1783 to 1810 for which he was paid a fixed quarterly salary of £157 10s. During this time, Elliott was engaged at the Houses of Parliment, the Queen's House (now Buckingham Palace), St. James's, Kew Palace, Kensington Palace and Newmarket Palace with repair work, the cleaning of furniture and of upholstery. In addition to this contracted work, he also received fixed amounts for providing and installing furniture, mirrors, upholstery and carpets. Elliott was listed at 97 New Bond Street until 1808, at which time he and his brother-in-law, William Frances, entered into partnership and listed their firm as Elliott & Francis at 104 New Bond Street (G. Beard and C. Gilbert, eds., The Dictionary of English Furniture: 1660-1840, Leeds, 1986, pp. 273-274).