拍品專文
The pattern for this chair back is taken from plate XII of Thomas Chippendale's The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Directory, 1st ed., London, 1754. It is familiar from various known Irish chairs, including six mahogany dining-chairs formerly at Knappogue Castle, County Clare formerly in the collection of Mrs Mark Edwin Andrews, Sotheby's New York, 15 April 1994, lot 71 and a set of dining chairs originally from Malahide Castle, County Dublin and sold by the Hon. Desmond Guinness, Sotheby's, London, 7 July 2000, lot 27. Glin and Peill note that Irish cabinet-makers were known to adapt designs from English pattern books and add Irish details such as the elongated shells at each end of the toprail and horizontal shaped angle-brackets at the top of the legs that feature on the Malahide Castle chairs (Glin & Peill, Irish Furniture, New Haven & London, 2007, p.110). This English chair does not feature any Irish idiosyncrasies: rather it is very true to the Chippendale design.