.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
This ornately carved serpentine sofa is conceived in the 'French taste' as promoted by Thomas Chippendale in his Director and relates to a design in the third edition of 1762, pl. XXX. The offered sofa also bears close resemblance to one of three sofas supplied to Sir Lawrence Dundas, for the Long Drawing Room at No.19 Arlington Street, London (illustrated here).
Sir Lawrence Dundas was one of Chippendale's most active clients, commissioning the firm (along with the majority of known London cabinet-makers of the 1760's) on several occasions, including the celebrated suite supplied in 1764 for the Great Room at 19 Arlington Street, the most expensive suite ever supplied by Chippendale, two armchairs and two sofas from which were sold Christie's London, 3 July 1997, lots 100 and 101.
The suite supplied for the Long Drawing Room in 1766 comprised ten armchairs in addition to the three sofas which were sold in the Arlington Street sale, 26 April 1934 and were purchased by Messrs Harris who subsequently sold the suite to the Earl and Countess of Rosse for Birr Castle, Ireland. The suite is now in another private collection.
The palm-flower centered seat rail on the offered sofa is close in stlying to the shell or palm motif, found on the suite of French styled seat furniture supplied by Thomas Chippendale to Sir David Garrick for the Blue Bedroom at Hampton Villa in 1768. This suite was subsequently sold, Property from the Estate of Mary, Viscountess Rothermere, in these Rooms, 16 April 1996, lots 142 and 143.
Sir Lawrence Dundas was one of Chippendale's most active clients, commissioning the firm (along with the majority of known London cabinet-makers of the 1760's) on several occasions, including the celebrated suite supplied in 1764 for the Great Room at 19 Arlington Street, the most expensive suite ever supplied by Chippendale, two armchairs and two sofas from which were sold Christie's London, 3 July 1997, lots 100 and 101.
The suite supplied for the Long Drawing Room in 1766 comprised ten armchairs in addition to the three sofas which were sold in the Arlington Street sale, 26 April 1934 and were purchased by Messrs Harris who subsequently sold the suite to the Earl and Countess of Rosse for Birr Castle, Ireland. The suite is now in another private collection.
The palm-flower centered seat rail on the offered sofa is close in stlying to the shell or palm motif, found on the suite of French styled seat furniture supplied by Thomas Chippendale to Sir David Garrick for the Blue Bedroom at Hampton Villa in 1768. This suite was subsequently sold, Property from the Estate of Mary, Viscountess Rothermere, in these Rooms, 16 April 1996, lots 142 and 143.