CIRCA 1810, AFTER A DESIGN BY MORGAN AND SAUNDERS

The design of this metamorphic armchair library steps corresponds very closely to the design first published in Ackermann's Repository, in July 1811 and captioned 'This ingenious piece of furniture is manufactured at Messrs. Morgan and Sanders's, Catherine-St. Strand' (P. Agius, Ackermann's Regency Furniture & Interiors, Marlborough, 1984, p. 60, pl. 29). This chair was 'considered the best and handsomest article ever yet invented, where two complete pieces of furniture are combined in one - an elegant and truly comfortable armchair and a set of library steps'. A nearly identical example with a mahogany seat sold anonymously, Christie's London, 6 April 2000, lot 75. Similar caned armchairs were sold anonymously, Sotheby's London, 24 April 1998, lot 152 and 13 November 1998, lot 170.