SPAIN, 19TH CENTURY

Details

A "MOORISH" IVORY AND HARDWOOD VENEERED FOLDING CHAIR
Spain, 19th century
After the Nasrid original, the curving X-frame with scrollng arms resting on splayed stretchers, the surface covered with fine geometric inlay in a repeated stellar design, the leather seat with stamped arabesque interlace design, the leather back stamped with the Nasrid motto within an arabesque border, very slight loss of inlay, leather dry, flaking and splitting
37in.(94cm.) high; 30in. (76cm.) wide

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis

Lot Essay

This is one of a small group of nineteenth century chairs made after the Nasrid original. Two original examples whose date is not disputed are the chair in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Kurz, Otto: " Folding Chairs and Koran stands", in Ettinghausen, R.(ed.): Islamic Art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1972, pp.299-314 esp.p.305), and that in the Alhambra, Granada (Arte Islámico en Granada, exhibition catalogue, Granada, 1995, no.188, pp.436-7). In the nineteenth century however, with the increase in popularity of all things Islamic, and the wide variety of items made commemorating the Alhambra, a number of copies of these chairs were made. Two nineteenth century examples which are very similar to the present chair are published in Alonzo, María Paz Aguiló: El Mueble en España, siglos XVI-XVII, Madrid, 1993, no.309, p.351). Both examples illustrated there have the same stamped Nasrid motto on the leather back panel as is seen here.

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