Although these chairs have characteristics in common with fully documented suites of seat furniture by Thomas Chippendale a firm attribution is not possible. The husk-draped patera-centred toprail is a distinctive motif (cf. the Newby Hall Tapestry Room suite, c.1775, illustrated in C. Gilbert, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale, London, 1978, vol. II, p.107, pl.180). Its presence here on a plain channelled oval back seems more restrained than on any of the proven sets. Similarly the channelled scrolled arms exist on suites but none have arms joining the seatrails directly above the front leg. The back legs also appear extremely close to several Chippendale models (cf. the Burton Constable suite, C. Gilbert, op. cit., vol. II, p.111, pl.191). There are however a number of unattributed suites of high quality that are closer to the present lot in both general design and specific detail. One of these was sold by the Trustees of the Warwick Castle Resettlement in these Rooms, 21 March 1968, lot 115 (and again 25 June 1987, lot 118). Payments have since been discovered from the 2nd Earl of Warwick to Mayhew and Ince between 1774-1777 totalling (180. It is just possible the Warwick suite is the product of another London firm, such as Mayhew, interpreting the popular designs of Thomas Chippendale (see Dictionary of English Furniture Makers, 1660-1840, Leeds, 1986, pp.590 and 595)