A GEORGE III MAHOGANY READING CHAIR

CIRCA 1770

Details

A GEORGE III MAHOGANY READING CHAIR
Circa 1770
The arms, back and compass-form seat upholstered in burgundy leather, with a U-shaped toprail mounted with a ratcheted and hinged headrest, each arm terminating in removable extending brass candlearms, on rounded sabre legs with brass caps and casters, originally with a further removable reading ledge to one side for use when sitter facing forward

Provenance

Acquired from Malcolm Franklin Inc., Chicago.

Lot Essay

Reading chairs were designed so that the reader could sit facing the back with his legs astride, resting his arms and with adjustable rack upon which to rest a book. A chair of this pattern, associated with the poet John Gay (d.1732), was illustrated in The Builder, 30 March 1878, as part of the historic 'author's chairs' collection assembled at Cromwell Place by the architect George Godwin (d.1888). The chair was acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London in 1958 (see D. FitzGerald, Georgian Furniture, London, 1969, no.8). A chair of this type was sold Christie's London, 17 April 1997, lot 41.

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