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拍品专文
The attribution of this grand pair of armchairs to the royal furniture designer/maker partnership of Morel and Seddon is based upon a giltwood chaise-longue supplied by the firm in 1828 to Room 230 of Windsor Castle. This chaise-longue displays virtually identical dished faceted legs and a conforming deeply curved back with rosettes to the terminals of the crestrail (see H. Roberts, For the King's Pleasure, London, 2001, p. 316, fig. 395).
The partnership of Morel and Seddon was formed shortly after Nicholas Morel's personal selection by George IV to furnish the royal apartments at Windsor Castle in 1826. With such an undertaking in hand Morel, the designer in the partnership, required the facilities of a large and established workshop. The firm of Seddon, having been established circa 1750 had become one of the largest furniture-making firms in London by the end of the 18th century. Although no dates are recorded, Morel appears to have dissolved his partnership with Robert Hughes and likewise, George Seddon seems to have entered this union without his elder brother, Thomas. Evidence that the newly formed partnership appears to have done no work outside the Windsor commission would suggest that this union was formed specifically to supply the king.
Not all the work undertaken by Morel and Seddon was to provide new furniture. In addition to supplying new interiors work was undertaken to alter, restore and duplicate existing pieces of furniture. This is of particular note as similar chairs exist which are thought to have been supplied by Tatham, Bailey and Saunders and can be seen in C. Wild's watercolor of the Blue Velvet Room at Buckingham House, later Buckingham Palace, which is illustrated in D. Watkin, The Royal Interiors of Regency England, 1984, p. 87. Having been refurbished in 1812 it is probable that this suite dates to this period. These chairs maintain the 'antique' manner although display different arm terminals and legs so it is conceivable that these were the inspiration for the current pair. Another chair of this form appears to be illustrated in an 1880's photograph of Room 254 at Windsor Castle and although the legs cannot be seen, the back and arms appear virtually identical to the Tatham, Bailey and Saunders model (H. Roberts, op.cit. p. 379, fig. 459).
There are several factors connecting these chairs to the commission of furniture by George IV for his apartments at Windsor Castle. The similarity in the form of the leg on the chaise-longue currently in Room 230 at Windsor, that it is almost certain that Morel and Seddon's brief partnership was solely to furnish the king's apartments and lastly, the old auction label to the underside of one chair that suggests these were once a gift from George IV. These three factors would suggest that these chairs may once have formed part of one of the most important and costly single commissions of the first half of the 19th century. For a more detailed analysis of the commission see G. de Bellaigue and P. Kirkham, 'George IV and the Furnishing of Windsor Castle', Furniture History, 1972.
The partnership of Morel and Seddon was formed shortly after Nicholas Morel's personal selection by George IV to furnish the royal apartments at Windsor Castle in 1826. With such an undertaking in hand Morel, the designer in the partnership, required the facilities of a large and established workshop. The firm of Seddon, having been established circa 1750 had become one of the largest furniture-making firms in London by the end of the 18th century. Although no dates are recorded, Morel appears to have dissolved his partnership with Robert Hughes and likewise, George Seddon seems to have entered this union without his elder brother, Thomas. Evidence that the newly formed partnership appears to have done no work outside the Windsor commission would suggest that this union was formed specifically to supply the king.
Not all the work undertaken by Morel and Seddon was to provide new furniture. In addition to supplying new interiors work was undertaken to alter, restore and duplicate existing pieces of furniture. This is of particular note as similar chairs exist which are thought to have been supplied by Tatham, Bailey and Saunders and can be seen in C. Wild's watercolor of the Blue Velvet Room at Buckingham House, later Buckingham Palace, which is illustrated in D. Watkin, The Royal Interiors of Regency England, 1984, p. 87. Having been refurbished in 1812 it is probable that this suite dates to this period. These chairs maintain the 'antique' manner although display different arm terminals and legs so it is conceivable that these were the inspiration for the current pair. Another chair of this form appears to be illustrated in an 1880's photograph of Room 254 at Windsor Castle and although the legs cannot be seen, the back and arms appear virtually identical to the Tatham, Bailey and Saunders model (H. Roberts, op.cit. p. 379, fig. 459).
There are several factors connecting these chairs to the commission of furniture by George IV for his apartments at Windsor Castle. The similarity in the form of the leg on the chaise-longue currently in Room 230 at Windsor, that it is almost certain that Morel and Seddon's brief partnership was solely to furnish the king's apartments and lastly, the old auction label to the underside of one chair that suggests these were once a gift from George IV. These three factors would suggest that these chairs may once have formed part of one of the most important and costly single commissions of the first half of the 19th century. For a more detailed analysis of the commission see G. de Bellaigue and P. Kirkham, 'George IV and the Furnishing of Windsor Castle', Furniture History, 1972.