EARLY 18TH CENTURY

In the early 18th century, this elegant form of serpentined parlour chair with vase splat was associated with imports of the East India Companies trading with China and retailed as 'Indian' or 'India-backed', or more simply as 'bended' or 'sweep backed'. A related chair pattern featured as the St. Paul's Churchyard sign of Thomas Cleare, who traded at the 'Indian Chair' (A. Bowett, 'Myths of English Furniture History: Anglo-Dutch', Antique Collecting, October 1999, p. 33, fig. 9). The present chairs are filigreed in the French manner with cartouches of Roman acanthus in the 'Roman' style popularised by the Paris-trained architect Daniel Marot (d. 1752) and his published cartouches incorporate addorsed dolphins that are tied by husk-festooned ribbons. The same filigree pattern seen at the top of the legs also appeared on the backs and legs of a related pair of chairs sold anonymously, Christie's, New York, 19 October 2000, lot 28.