These medallion-backed chairs, designed in the George III 'antique' manner, were commissioned in the mid 1770s by George Brodrick, 4th Viscount Midleton (d. 1836) for the entrance hall at Peper Harrow, Sussex. The Midleton family crest, 'Out of a ducal coronet or, a spear head argent' is displayed on an oval escutcheon within a fluted-sunflower rosette. The fluted frieze, enriched with libation-patera, is supported on fluted 'herm' feet. Their design, executed under the direction of Sir William Chambers (d. 1796), architect to King George III, accords with the architecture of the hall's frieze and wall-medallions. The suite is likely to have been supplied by Messrs. Mayhew & Ince, cabinet-makers and upholsterers of Golden Square, and authors of The Universal System of Household Furniture, 1762. They are also thought to have supplied the very closely related set of 'Eight painted chairs with Sifer' that were listed in the 1786 inventory of Broadlands, Hampshire (see: H.Roberts, 'The ince and Mayhew Connection', Part I, 29 January 1981, p.289, fig.4). That set share the distinctive roundel and flute seatrail with these chairs.