The basic form of these chairs relates to a set which was designed by Henry Holland (d. 1808) for Samuel Whitbread II (d. 1816) for Southill Park, Bedfordshire, circa 1795 (F. Collard, Regency Furniture, Woodbridge, 1985, p. 45). The leg with tied reeds which features on the above chairs is also illustrated ibid., p. 108 on a caned bergre, after a design by George Smith. It also features on a set of eight 'Grecian elbow Chairs of solid black rosewood' supplied by William Trotter, for Paxton House, Berwickshire (F. Collard, 'Dictionary of Edinburgh Furniture Makers 1660-1840, Furniture History, pl. 50.). The previous lot, a Regency sofa, has this same feature on the outscrolled arm. A similar pair of grained armchairs was sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 18 November 1993, lot 48. A closely related pair of ebonised armchairs are advertised in The Grosvenor House 1989 Handbook, p. 272.