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Lot Essay
A suite of this elegant early George III 'French' pattern, comprising settees, armchairs and chairs is likely to have been commissioned by Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis (d. 1772) for Powis Castle, Wales, or Oakly Park, Shropshire, at the time he was employing the Cheshire architect William Baker (d. 1771) to carry out improvements to both properties in the 1750s (M. Hall, 'Powis Castle', Country Life, 21 October 1993, p. 81, figs. 5 & 6).
A set of eight side chairs of this model was sold from Wentworth Woodhouse, Yorkshire, in these Rooms, 11 July 1948, lot 62, and possibly the same set were sold by the Hon. Mrs. Brian Rootes, in these Rooms, 8 February 1973, lot 103. A pair of armchairs of this pattern was exhibited by Norman Adams Ltd., at the Antique Dealers' Fair in 1948 and a pair of chairs was sold anonymously at Sotheby's New York, 8-9 December 1989, lot 483. A further armchair was sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 13 November 1997, lot 69 and another from the Henle collection, Sotheby's London, 6 February 1998, lot 91. A stool, almost certainly supplied to Charles Powlett, 5th Duke of Bolton (d. 1765) for Hackwood Park, Hampshire or the Bolton's London house in Grosvenor Square, was sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 8 July 1999, lot 61 (£84,000). A pair of side chairs and a single side chair, almost certainly from the same suite as the latter stool, were sold by the Estate of the 2nd Viscount Camrose, Hackwood Park, Hampshire, Christie's house sale, 20-22 April 1998, lots 119 (£43,300) and 120 (£7,475).
A set of eight side chairs of this model was sold from Wentworth Woodhouse, Yorkshire, in these Rooms, 11 July 1948, lot 62, and possibly the same set were sold by the Hon. Mrs. Brian Rootes, in these Rooms, 8 February 1973, lot 103. A pair of armchairs of this pattern was exhibited by Norman Adams Ltd., at the Antique Dealers' Fair in 1948 and a pair of chairs was sold anonymously at Sotheby's New York, 8-9 December 1989, lot 483. A further armchair was sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 13 November 1997, lot 69 and another from the Henle collection, Sotheby's London, 6 February 1998, lot 91. A stool, almost certainly supplied to Charles Powlett, 5th Duke of Bolton (d. 1765) for Hackwood Park, Hampshire or the Bolton's London house in Grosvenor Square, was sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 8 July 1999, lot 61 (£84,000). A pair of side chairs and a single side chair, almost certainly from the same suite as the latter stool, were sold by the Estate of the 2nd Viscount Camrose, Hackwood Park, Hampshire, Christie's house sale, 20-22 April 1998, lots 119 (£43,300) and 120 (£7,475).