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Lot Essay
SIR WALTER TYRRELL
The George I armorial pier glasses were almost certainly intended for the Tyrrell residence at Stanford in the Vale, Berkshire, now known as Rectory House. This square Queen Anne building was conceived around a pre-existing 16th century house in 1706 for Sir Walter Tyrrell who held the manors of Hatford and Stanford in the early 18th century. It seems likely that the pier glasses were later at neighbouring Hatford House, a 'fine old Manor House', acquired by Sir Walter upon his appointment as High Sheriff in 1723; the property became the principal Tyrrell residence. In 1866, Hatford was described as having 'some handsome rooms' and a beautiful staircase (Rev. L.G. Maine, A Berkshire Village, its History and Antiquities, 1866, p.72).
PERCIVAL GRIFFITHS & R.W. SYMONDS
In 1929, the furniture historian and dealer, R.W. Symonds (d.1958), illustrated one of the pier glasses in English Furniture from Charles II to George II (1929, p.13, fig.6) from the collection of Percival D. Griffiths F.S.A. (d.1938) at Sandridgebury, Hertfordshire. The pier glasses were subsequently sold Christie's London, 'The collection of Percival D. Griffiths', 11 May 1939, lot 210 (£480).
The collection formed by Griffiths under the wise counsel of Symonds is considered to be arguably the greatest collection of English Furniture formed in the last century. The interiors at Sandridgebury are happily recalled in 'Sandridgebury: The Country Residence of Percival D. Griffiths', published by Symonds in Antiques, March 1931, pp.193-196, where one of the pier glasses is photographed in the Dining Room (p.195). Symonds later published 'Percival Griffiths, F.S.A.: A Memoir on a Great Collector of English Furniture', The Antique Collector, November-December 1943, pp.163-169. His collection has come to be recognised as a bench mark of excellence in the arena of collecting early to mid-18th century walnut and mahogany furniture and is discussed by E. Lennox-Boyd, 'Introduction: Collecting in the Symonds Tradition' (Masterpieces of English Furniture, The Gerstenfeld Collection, 1998, pp.14-31).
The George I armorial pier glasses were almost certainly intended for the Tyrrell residence at Stanford in the Vale, Berkshire, now known as Rectory House. This square Queen Anne building was conceived around a pre-existing 16th century house in 1706 for Sir Walter Tyrrell who held the manors of Hatford and Stanford in the early 18th century. It seems likely that the pier glasses were later at neighbouring Hatford House, a 'fine old Manor House', acquired by Sir Walter upon his appointment as High Sheriff in 1723; the property became the principal Tyrrell residence. In 1866, Hatford was described as having 'some handsome rooms' and a beautiful staircase (Rev. L.G. Maine, A Berkshire Village, its History and Antiquities, 1866, p.72).
PERCIVAL GRIFFITHS & R.W. SYMONDS
In 1929, the furniture historian and dealer, R.W. Symonds (d.1958), illustrated one of the pier glasses in English Furniture from Charles II to George II (1929, p.13, fig.6) from the collection of Percival D. Griffiths F.S.A. (d.1938) at Sandridgebury, Hertfordshire. The pier glasses were subsequently sold Christie's London, 'The collection of Percival D. Griffiths', 11 May 1939, lot 210 (£480).
The collection formed by Griffiths under the wise counsel of Symonds is considered to be arguably the greatest collection of English Furniture formed in the last century. The interiors at Sandridgebury are happily recalled in 'Sandridgebury: The Country Residence of Percival D. Griffiths', published by Symonds in Antiques, March 1931, pp.193-196, where one of the pier glasses is photographed in the Dining Room (p.195). Symonds later published 'Percival Griffiths, F.S.A.: A Memoir on a Great Collector of English Furniture', The Antique Collector, November-December 1943, pp.163-169. His collection has come to be recognised as a bench mark of excellence in the arena of collecting early to mid-18th century walnut and mahogany furniture and is discussed by E. Lennox-Boyd, 'Introduction: Collecting in the Symonds Tradition' (Masterpieces of English Furniture, The Gerstenfeld Collection, 1998, pp.14-31).