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Lot Essay
These chairs evolved from the 'strong chamfered' chair pattern invented in 1850 for Sir Charles Barry's New Palace of Westminster by A.W.N. Pugin (d. 1852) and supplied by firms such as Holland and Sons, Gillows and Crace and Son. A sketch of the chair pattern appears in a letter of November 1850, to J.G. Crace (d. 1889) from Pugin concerning the standard chair for the House of Commons (A. Wedgwood, A.W.N. Pugin, London, 1985, no. 481 and I. Ross (ed.), The Houses of Parliament: History, Art, Architecture, London, 2000, pp. 166-172).
The same model of chair was supplied by J.G. Crace for Abney Hall, Manchester, circa 1855 and furniture of very similar design to that at Abney, was made by Crace for Pippbrook House, Dorking, Surrey (M. Aldrich (ed.), The Craces: Royal Decorators 1768-1899, Brighton, 1990, pp. 86-88). Interestingly, the destinctive leaf-carved stretcher on the present dining-table appears on a cheval mirror, etagere, and writing-table supplied by Crace for Pippbrook. The Pippbrook furniture was later inherited by the Browne family of Callaly Castle, Northumberland, and was sold by the Trustees of the Callaly Chattels Settlement, Callaly Castle, Christie's house sale, 22-24 September 1986, lots 125-143.
The table's 'stong chamfered' legs flowered with roses in the mediaeval fashion, relate to those on a related table, attributed to J.G. Crace & Son, sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 14 April 1990, lot 92.
The same model of chair was supplied by J.G. Crace for Abney Hall, Manchester, circa 1855 and furniture of very similar design to that at Abney, was made by Crace for Pippbrook House, Dorking, Surrey (M. Aldrich (ed.), The Craces: Royal Decorators 1768-1899, Brighton, 1990, pp. 86-88). Interestingly, the destinctive leaf-carved stretcher on the present dining-table appears on a cheval mirror, etagere, and writing-table supplied by Crace for Pippbrook. The Pippbrook furniture was later inherited by the Browne family of Callaly Castle, Northumberland, and was sold by the Trustees of the Callaly Chattels Settlement, Callaly Castle, Christie's house sale, 22-24 September 1986, lots 125-143.
The table's 'stong chamfered' legs flowered with roses in the mediaeval fashion, relate to those on a related table, attributed to J.G. Crace & Son, sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 14 April 1990, lot 92.