THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN 
A SET OF EIGHT REGENCY EBONISED AND GOLD-PAINTED ARMCHAIRS

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A SET OF EIGHT REGENCY EBONISED AND GOLD-PAINTED ARMCHAIRS
Each with a horizontal pierced top-rail centred by a grisaille painting of a maiden holding a cornucopia, above a pierced Gothic- arched horizontal splat, the downswept arms and turned baluster support flanking a caned seat with squab cushion covered in black and gold chinoiserie material, the seat-rail with a grisaille still life with flowers and fruit, on turned tapering legs and pinched turned feet, one chair inscribed in chalk to the underside 'pc 17', one chair with later seat-rail, two chairs reduced in height by 1½ in. (3.5 cm.), refreshments to the decoration (8)

Lot Essay

The japanned chair, with baluster-supported arms, reed-ringed legs, and figurative tablet emblematic of Peace and Plenty, relates to chair patterns issued by Thomas Sheraton in his The Cabinet-Dictionary of 1803. Among the most celebrated chair-makers of this period was John Gee of Wardour Street, 'Chairmaker' to King George III, whose stamp features on a related set of chairs sold anonymously in these Rooms, 6 April 1995, lot 63, and on another set with putti on the tablets sold by the Executors of the late Dowager Lady Camoys, The Dower House, Stonor, in these Rooms, 14 April 1988, lot 71. A further related pair of painted armchairs was sold anonymously, Christie's New York, 16 April 1994, lot 260.

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