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Lot Essay
These unique chairs once formed part of the collection of Julius Drewe, the immensely wealthy businessman and founder of Home and Colonial Stores, who retired by the age of 33. Drewe built Castle Drogo, a romantic medieval castle at the edge of Dartmoor, on land previously inhabited by his 13th century ancestor, Drogo de Teigne. Built to the 1911 designs of architect Edwin Lutyens, the imposing granite structure was not completed until 1930, a year before Drewe's death (D. O'Neill, Lutyens Country Houses, New York, 1981, pp. 115-120). In 1974, Julius's grandson, Anthony, donated the castle and 600 acres of land to the National Trust.
Much of Drewe's collection was moved from his previous residence at Wadhurst Hall in Sussex. Wadhurst was famous in the late 19th century as a shooting estate and the scene of many lavish parties given by its previous owners, the Spanish de Murietta brothers, who built the house in 1870. Drewe purchased Wadhurst, together with its contents, when the brothers lost their fortune in 1890. While it is possible that the chairs came from Wadhurst (there are no inventories from that house), Drewe was also actively buying from dealers in London and Torquay, on the coast of Devon.
When the chairs were sold in 1975, they were carved with a crest above the present coat-of-arms which is now lost. While once thought to be the arms of Sewell of Essex, this is erroneous; the arms have not been identified to date.
Much of Drewe's collection was moved from his previous residence at Wadhurst Hall in Sussex. Wadhurst was famous in the late 19th century as a shooting estate and the scene of many lavish parties given by its previous owners, the Spanish de Murietta brothers, who built the house in 1870. Drewe purchased Wadhurst, together with its contents, when the brothers lost their fortune in 1890. While it is possible that the chairs came from Wadhurst (there are no inventories from that house), Drewe was also actively buying from dealers in London and Torquay, on the coast of Devon.
When the chairs were sold in 1975, they were carved with a crest above the present coat-of-arms which is now lost. While once thought to be the arms of Sewell of Essex, this is erroneous; the arms have not been identified to date.