Lot Essay
Claremont was built between 1770 and 1774 for Lord Clive by Capability Brown. In 1816 it was acquired by the Crown for Princess Charlotte, only child of George IV, following her marriage to Prince Leopold of Saxe-Saalfeld-Coburg. Princess Charlotte died in childbirth in 1817 and Prince Leopold, elected King of the Belgians in 1831, retained Claremont until his death in 1865. It was occupied by his second father-in-law, King Louis Philippe, from 1848 until his death there in 1850, and thereafter by his widow, Queen Marie-Amélie, who died at Claremont in 1866. The house then became the residence of Prince Leopold, yougest son of Queen Victoria, and his wife after their marriage in 1882. It is known that there were various 19th Century refurnishings of Claremont and it is presumed that these chairs entered the house then. A group of furniture from the collection of the Duke of Albany at Claremont was sold in these Rooms, 16 July 1981, lots 152-177.
Recent research has identified several characteristics that seem to be specific to chairs made by the Golden Square firm of Mayhew and Ince. Among the most firmly attributed is a set formerly at Cobham Hall, Kent, which were supplied to the 3rd Earl of Darnley, one of Mayhew and Ince's most loyal and enduring clients. Between 1760 and 1781, he spent just under £4,000 with them. The Cobham set, one of several in the house, was sold in these Rooms, 19 November 1992. An extremely closely related set of chairs at Warwick Castle which are also now attributed to Mayhew and Ince, was sold in these Rooms, 21 March 1968, lot 115. Although the research is not yet complete, it is thought on the basis of these chairs and other furniture, that Mayhew and Ince also supplied furniture to Warwick Castle. In the same 1968 sale was sold a very rare set of chairs with Gothic decoration on the legs which are also now attributed to the firm. This Gothic set shares one extremely unusual feature with these Claremont chairs: the padded arm-rest runs all the way forward to the top of the downswept support with only a patera terminal. The two sets also have the same acanthus clasp at the top of their oval backs.
The J. Pemberton inscription may possibly refer to John Pemberton (fl. 1827-39), a Liverpool cabinet-maker who may have repaired the chairs (C. Gilbert and G. Beard, eds., The Dictionary of English Furniture Makers, Leeds, 1986, p. 688).
Recent research has identified several characteristics that seem to be specific to chairs made by the Golden Square firm of Mayhew and Ince. Among the most firmly attributed is a set formerly at Cobham Hall, Kent, which were supplied to the 3rd Earl of Darnley, one of Mayhew and Ince's most loyal and enduring clients. Between 1760 and 1781, he spent just under £4,000 with them. The Cobham set, one of several in the house, was sold in these Rooms, 19 November 1992. An extremely closely related set of chairs at Warwick Castle which are also now attributed to Mayhew and Ince, was sold in these Rooms, 21 March 1968, lot 115. Although the research is not yet complete, it is thought on the basis of these chairs and other furniture, that Mayhew and Ince also supplied furniture to Warwick Castle. In the same 1968 sale was sold a very rare set of chairs with Gothic decoration on the legs which are also now attributed to the firm. This Gothic set shares one extremely unusual feature with these Claremont chairs: the padded arm-rest runs all the way forward to the top of the downswept support with only a patera terminal. The two sets also have the same acanthus clasp at the top of their oval backs.
The J. Pemberton inscription may possibly refer to John Pemberton (fl. 1827-39), a Liverpool cabinet-maker who may have repaired the chairs (C. Gilbert and G. Beard, eds., The Dictionary of English Furniture Makers, Leeds, 1986, p. 688).