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拍品專文
This magnificent pair of white-painted and parcel-gilt open armchairs form part of a large suite of seat-furniture supplied circa 1770 to Edward Lascelles 1st Earl of Harewood,
for the music room at Harewood House, Yorkshire by the renowned St. Martin Lane's cabinetmaker, Thomas Chippendale (d.1778) (C. Gilbert, The Life & Work of Thomas Chippendale, vol. I, 1978, p.201). Originally 'japanned green and gold', the chairs are recorded in the 1795 Harewood
inventory in the Music Room, '2 Sophas, 18 Chairs and 3 Window Stools, Green & Gold Frames'. They were almost certainly intended to be en suite with '2 Large Pier Tables with burnished Gold Frames & inlaid Tops' for the foliate apron under the seat rail is clearly related to the carved work of
the pier table still in situ. On 12 September 1835, the Duchess of Kent and Princess Victoria, the future Queen, paid a visit to Harewood where the royal party, together with members of Lord Harewood's family, was served 'a very splendid luncheon' in the Music Room and undoubtedly appreciated the magnificence of their surroundings (J. Jones, History and Antiquities of Harewood, 1858, p. 191).
The chairs were certainly valued by Edwin Lascelles for another set of closely related form, 'japanned blue and gold', and upholstered in blue damask, was supplied for Harewood shortly after, possibly for the family bed and dressing rooms. (Gilbert, Op. Cit., vol. II, p. 111, fig. 189).This second set of chairs, was very similar, if slightly simpler in design, a fact that was seized upon during the mid-19th century redecorations when both sets received the same new decoration and upholstery in order that they could be used together to provide the profusion of seating, ubiquitous in the Victorian interior, to fill Robert Adam's grand 76' Gallery. This later set of 12 chairs was sold during a series of sales of objects from the collections at Harewood House, Christie's London, 28 June 1951, lot 47, (819 to Blairman). Part of the set from which the present chairs come has been stored in the attics at Harewood for many years not on public display.
The present chairs derive from a standard Chippendale design; there were 'eight different designs of French Elbow Chairs, of various patterns' some of which had carved aprons and padded cartouche shape backs, in the 1st edition of the Director (1754), plates XVII-XX, and these successful chair designs were reissued in the 3rd edition (1762). However, by the time of the Harewood commission the rococo ornament of these earlier designs had been superseded by the fashion the 'antique' which Chippendale employed in much of his furniture for Harwood as Adam did in its interiors. A suite of seat furniture of including chairs of near identical design comprising eighteen armchairs and two sofas, formerly upholstered in blue damask, was supplied circa 1771-2 for another Adam interior, the Drawing Room at Saltram House, Devon; another suite, originally japanned blue and white with gilt details, was made in 1774 for William Constable's London House, and is now at Burton Constable, Yorkshire.
The present chairs were later repainted when all the seat-furniture in the property was re-upholstered in 1850-3 by the Belgravia decorating firm, George Trollope & Sons. Interestingly, Chippendale advocated in his pattern books that 'Both the Backs and Seats must be covered with Tapestry, or other sort of Needlework', and although Lord, or perhaps Lady, Harewood's wishes would have been foremost for upholstery, it seems fitting that Trollope & Sons covered the present chairs in tapestry (Op. Cit., vol. II, p. 111, fig. 190). Trollope & Sons renovation of Harewood's interiors was extensive, the final bill amounting to 6,043. 'Fabrics [were] reconditioned,walls and woodwork rubbed down and ornamental cornices treated with oil and a marbling effect' while most of the furniture, mirrors and cornices were transported from Leeds by rail to the firm's London warehouse for restoration and recovering. The present chairs were no exception and would probably have been returned to London for the application of their new scheme. This was the very opposite approach to that of Mr. Chippendale some seventy years earlier, when the all the seat-furniture had arrived at Harewood un-finished and was upholstered in situ by Chippendale's upholsterer Mr. Reid. The 'heraldic richness' of Trollope & Sons' colour schemes while characteristic of the Victorian period could on occasion produce startling combinations; decoration in the Breakfast Room comprised purple leather adjacent to crimson velvet curtains (C. Kennedy, Harewood, The Life and Times of an English Country House, 1982, pp. 87-89;
M. Mauchline, Harewood House, Plymouth, 1974, pp.98, 144-145).
George Trollope & Sons
George Trollope & Sons were registered under this name in 1843 and are recorded in West Halkin Street, Belgrave Square, London by 1864. They undertook large scale refurbishments of residential property and in this way supplied furniture made by them to many of their customers. The firm was highly considered by the 1860s and exhibited at several International Exhibitions. They became very successful during the second half of the nineteenth century producing a wide range of goods and decorations to noble families and well-connected clients.
Analysis of the Decoration
Paint and gilding analysis has been undertaken which revealed traces of the original green and gilt scheme remaining beneath the present finish, thereby corroborating the 18th century description of these chairs' decoration. The tests showed that, although the chairs had been well cleaned back prior to the application of their present 19th century scheme, that they had had only these two schemes of decoration, indicating that Chippendale's original scheme survived into the mid-19th century.
A copy of the paint and gilding analysis report is available on request.
for the music room at Harewood House, Yorkshire by the renowned St. Martin Lane's cabinetmaker, Thomas Chippendale (d.1778) (C. Gilbert, The Life & Work of Thomas Chippendale, vol. I, 1978, p.201). Originally 'japanned green and gold', the chairs are recorded in the 1795 Harewood
inventory in the Music Room, '2 Sophas, 18 Chairs and 3 Window Stools, Green & Gold Frames'. They were almost certainly intended to be en suite with '2 Large Pier Tables with burnished Gold Frames & inlaid Tops' for the foliate apron under the seat rail is clearly related to the carved work of
the pier table still in situ. On 12 September 1835, the Duchess of Kent and Princess Victoria, the future Queen, paid a visit to Harewood where the royal party, together with members of Lord Harewood's family, was served 'a very splendid luncheon' in the Music Room and undoubtedly appreciated the magnificence of their surroundings (J. Jones, History and Antiquities of Harewood, 1858, p. 191).
The chairs were certainly valued by Edwin Lascelles for another set of closely related form, 'japanned blue and gold', and upholstered in blue damask, was supplied for Harewood shortly after, possibly for the family bed and dressing rooms. (Gilbert, Op. Cit., vol. II, p. 111, fig. 189).This second set of chairs, was very similar, if slightly simpler in design, a fact that was seized upon during the mid-19th century redecorations when both sets received the same new decoration and upholstery in order that they could be used together to provide the profusion of seating, ubiquitous in the Victorian interior, to fill Robert Adam's grand 76' Gallery. This later set of 12 chairs was sold during a series of sales of objects from the collections at Harewood House, Christie's London, 28 June 1951, lot 47, (819 to Blairman). Part of the set from which the present chairs come has been stored in the attics at Harewood for many years not on public display.
The present chairs derive from a standard Chippendale design; there were 'eight different designs of French Elbow Chairs, of various patterns' some of which had carved aprons and padded cartouche shape backs, in the 1st edition of the Director (1754), plates XVII-XX, and these successful chair designs were reissued in the 3rd edition (1762). However, by the time of the Harewood commission the rococo ornament of these earlier designs had been superseded by the fashion the 'antique' which Chippendale employed in much of his furniture for Harwood as Adam did in its interiors. A suite of seat furniture of including chairs of near identical design comprising eighteen armchairs and two sofas, formerly upholstered in blue damask, was supplied circa 1771-2 for another Adam interior, the Drawing Room at Saltram House, Devon; another suite, originally japanned blue and white with gilt details, was made in 1774 for William Constable's London House, and is now at Burton Constable, Yorkshire.
The present chairs were later repainted when all the seat-furniture in the property was re-upholstered in 1850-3 by the Belgravia decorating firm, George Trollope & Sons. Interestingly, Chippendale advocated in his pattern books that 'Both the Backs and Seats must be covered with Tapestry, or other sort of Needlework', and although Lord, or perhaps Lady, Harewood's wishes would have been foremost for upholstery, it seems fitting that Trollope & Sons covered the present chairs in tapestry (Op. Cit., vol. II, p. 111, fig. 190). Trollope & Sons renovation of Harewood's interiors was extensive, the final bill amounting to 6,043. 'Fabrics [were] reconditioned,walls and woodwork rubbed down and ornamental cornices treated with oil and a marbling effect' while most of the furniture, mirrors and cornices were transported from Leeds by rail to the firm's London warehouse for restoration and recovering. The present chairs were no exception and would probably have been returned to London for the application of their new scheme. This was the very opposite approach to that of Mr. Chippendale some seventy years earlier, when the all the seat-furniture had arrived at Harewood un-finished and was upholstered in situ by Chippendale's upholsterer Mr. Reid. The 'heraldic richness' of Trollope & Sons' colour schemes while characteristic of the Victorian period could on occasion produce startling combinations; decoration in the Breakfast Room comprised purple leather adjacent to crimson velvet curtains (C. Kennedy, Harewood, The Life and Times of an English Country House, 1982, pp. 87-89;
M. Mauchline, Harewood House, Plymouth, 1974, pp.98, 144-145).
George Trollope & Sons
George Trollope & Sons were registered under this name in 1843 and are recorded in West Halkin Street, Belgrave Square, London by 1864. They undertook large scale refurbishments of residential property and in this way supplied furniture made by them to many of their customers. The firm was highly considered by the 1860s and exhibited at several International Exhibitions. They became very successful during the second half of the nineteenth century producing a wide range of goods and decorations to noble families and well-connected clients.
Analysis of the Decoration
Paint and gilding analysis has been undertaken which revealed traces of the original green and gilt scheme remaining beneath the present finish, thereby corroborating the 18th century description of these chairs' decoration. The tests showed that, although the chairs had been well cleaned back prior to the application of their present 19th century scheme, that they had had only these two schemes of decoration, indicating that Chippendale's original scheme survived into the mid-19th century.
A copy of the paint and gilding analysis report is available on request.