The preservation of the minutely recorded bills of Thomas Roberts, chairmaker and supplier of the majority of seat furniture for the Royal Palaces in the last quarter of the 17th century, has provided historians with a remarkably accurate chronology for the dating of chair-design throughout this period. Adam Bowett, in his article, 'The English 'horsebone' chair, 1685-1710', The Burlington Magazine, May 1999, pp. 263-270, has argued for a revision of the dating of late 17th century chairs. The use of the 'horsebone' form is made explicit in a Roberts bill of 1688: to 'two Elbow chaires of Wallnuttree carved horsebone the forerailes carved with scrowles and leaves' (ibid., p. 263). The combination of horsebone and scrolls as desribed is a conistent feature from about 1685, but the arched front and back stretcher and baluster-turned side stretcher are later features. Bowett has argued for the dating of a set of side chairs and stools from Dyrham, now in the Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight, to c. 1703-10, which share similar features as the present lot. The arched stretcher is first recorded in Roberts' bill of 1703 for seat furniture made for Queen Anne's Royal Catherine yacht, which included 'three Wallnuttree elbow Chairs Carved and arched fore-Railes and Backs' (Ibid., p. 269). The term 'Horsebone' disappears completely from Roberts bills after 1704, suggesting a decline in popularity of the form during the reign of Queen Anne.
A closely related stool, supplied to Ralph, 1st Duke of Montagu for Boughton House, Northamptonshire, is illustrated in P. Macquoid and R. Edwards, The Dictionary of English Furniture, London, rev. edn., 1954, III, p. 172, fig. 26
This, as well as the following lot, was offered in the sale of Works of Art from Houghton, in these Rooms, 8 December 1994, lot 118.