FOURTEEN GEORGE III MAHOGANY OPEN ARMCHAIRS COMPRISING A SET OF TEN GEORGE III MAHOGANY OPEN ARMCHAIRS AND A SET OF FOUR GEORGE III MAHOGANY DINING-CHAIRS

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THE PROPERTY OF A FAMILY TRUST, THE COLLECTION FORMED UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF R.W. SYMONDS (LOTS 80-93)

FOURTEEN GEORGE III MAHOGANY OPEN ARMCHAIRS COMPRISING A SET OF TEN GEORGE III MAHOGANY OPEN ARMCHAIRS AND A SET OF FOUR GEORGE III MAHOGANY DINING-CHAIRS

CIRCA 1785

Details

FOURTEEN GEORGE III MAHOGANY OPEN ARMCHAIRS COMPRISING A SET OF TEN GEORGE III MAHOGANY OPEN ARMCHAIRS AND A SET OF FOUR GEORGE III MAHOGANY DINING-CHAIRS
CIRCA 1785
The set of ten armchairs each with an interlaced shield-shaped back, carved with twin flower sprays and foliage trails, with serpentine arms, the seat covered in yellow-striped material, on square tapering panelled legs with spade feet, one chair inscribed 'G Wilkinson'; together with
The set of four side chairs each with an interlaced shield-shaped back with foliage-clasps, above a padded seat covered in yellow-striped material, on square tapering legs joined by stretchers, three chairs inscribed 'DK' (14)

Provenance

THE ARMCHAIRS:
Lady Trenchard.
Bought from Mallett & Son, 40 New Bond Street, London, 12 August 1946 ('a set of ten very fine Hepplewhite armchairs, with carved shaped backs and carved tapered legs and toes. Originally in the Collection of Lady Trenchard. Ca. 1780 £1550'; the receipt endorsed by R. W. Symonds).
THE SIDE CHAIRS:
Bought from Phillips of Hitchin (Antiques) Ltd., The Manor House, Hitchin, Hertfordshire,17 July 1964 ('an extremely fine set of four mahogany side chairs of Hepplewhite period, circa 1780, with rare interlaced heart design on the backs, the set £630 Less 5 as agreed £598 10s').

Literature

FOR THE SET OF FOUR CHAIRS:
Trade advertisement, Phillips of Hitchin (Antiques) Ltd., Country Life, 11 June 1964.

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 elegant chair-back pattern, with looped ribbons in Roman pelta-shield form relates to a design, in the manner of James Wyatt (d. 1813) in the 1788 Estimate Sketch Book of Gillows of London and Lancaster (L. Boynton, Gillow Furniture Designs 1760-1800, Royston, 1995, no. 272). A related back, with additional carving, features on chairs provided in the 1780s for Friedrich Wilhelm II and inventoried as 'English' at Berlin Castle in 1793.
An identical armchair, possibly one from the present set, is illustrated in F. Lewis Hinckley, Hepplewhite, Sheraton & Regency Furniture, New York, 1987, p. 61, fig. 83-84.
A set of dining-chairs of the same model as the present armchairs are included as lot 109 in this sale.

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