This English 'japammed' hall chair follows earlier Chinese prototypes, notably a set of hall chairs supplied to Sir Robert Walpole, later 1st Earl of Orford (1676-1745) for Houghton Hall. The Houghton chairs (three remain at Houghton) have japanned borders and may possibly be identified as the 'Twelve India Chairs' in the Picture Gallery in the 1745 inventory (one is illustrated in P.Macquiod, The Age of Satinwood, 1908, fig,18). ANother related pair of George I lacquer hall chairs with gilt-gesso legs and seat frame attributed to James Moore were acquired by Sir Philip Sassoon, Bt. in 1935. These were subsequently sold by the Marquess of Cholmondeley, Christie's London, 8 December 1994, lot 110. A further set of twelve lacquer hall chairs with identical back and seat but with cluster-bamboo legs were supplied in 1805 to George, Prince of Wales's Marine Pavilion at Brighton, now in the Royal Apartments, Buckingham Palace (H.Clifford Smith, Buckingham Palace, 1931, fig.331). This set are considered early 18th century examples enhanced in the early 19th century to conform to the current fashion.