ATTRIBUTED TO LORENZO SANTI (D.1839), FIRST QUARTER 19TH CENTURY

Details

A PAIR OF ITALIAN EMPIRE CARVED GILTWOOD ARMCHAIRS
Attributed to Lorenzo Santi (d.1839), first quarter 19th century
Each with a pedimented top rail with griffins and undulating S-scroll frieze with flowerheads, the gros point needlework padded panel with a lion's mask and acanthus scrolls and flanked by foliate headed fluted stiles,with a similarly upholstered padded seat and arms with recessed panel terminals,on winged lion mask supports,with a fluted apron on monopodia supports terminating in paw feet,with batten carrying-holes to the underside,each chair with a label under the front seat rail 'LORD ESSENDON', one incised 'XI' on the seat rails and in ink '6 Sivan', the second chair incised 'VIII' on the seat rails and in ink '11 Sivan'.
Width of front seat rail 28 in. (71 cm.), height to top of back 43 in. (109 cm.) (2)

Provenance

Almost certainly commissioned by Cardinal Fesch (d.1839) in Rome, uncle of Napoleon I; moved to his house in the Rue du Mont Blanc, Paris, circa 1806; probably amongst those sold in Paris, 17 June 1816, either lots 445 or 446.
Probably bought by William Beckford, Fonthill Abbey, Wiltshire, sold Phillip's house sale, 9 September and following days until end of October, 1823, lots 1534-40.
Sir Frederick Lewis, 1st Baron Essendon (1870-1944), Essendon Court, Essendon, Hertfordshire.
Ella Mary, Countess of Powis (d.1988), daughter of Col. W.H. Rathborne of Scripplestown,Co.Dublin and widow of Edward Herbert,5th Earl of Powis (d.1974), by whom given to the present owners circa 1960.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis. This lot is subject to storage and collection charges. **For Furniture and Decorative Objects, storage charges commence 7 days from sale. Please contact department for further details.**

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Lot Essay

The following two pairs of chairs, similar to lot 214, have friezes with palm-flowered ribbon-guilloche instead of laurels, while tablet blocks replace the 'cippus' arm-crestings. A pair of chairs of this pattern survive in an English private collection (see D.E. Ostergard ed., William Beckford, 1760-1844, London, 2002, no.53).

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