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Lot Essay
A number of features of these chairs have been identified as characteristic of chairs likely to have been supplied by the Golden Square firm of John Mayhew and William Ince. These chairs show many constructional features characteristic of chairs by Thomas Chippendale - such as the exposed strut behind the upholstered back, glue cramp cuts and batten carrying-holes - however, their design does not quite accord with suites known to have been supplied by him. The stylistic differences include the scrolled arms descending directly into the tops of the legs, the very restrained base of the inverted heart-shaped backs and the profile of the legs with reeded collars.
The closest parallel to these chairs is a set of giltwood armchairs supplied to George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick (sold by the Trustees of the Warwick Castle Resettlement, Christie's London, 21 March 1968, lot 115, and later anonymously at Christie's London, 10 April 2003, lot 25). Those chairs lacked the foliate clasps at the top of the backs, and the patera at the centre of the front seat-rail was not inset, but in all other respects the design was the same. There is a payment to Mayhew and Ince that totals £180 in the 2nd Earl of Warwick's account with Hoare's bank, which suggests a relatively small commission (The Dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660-1840, Leeds, 1986, p. 595). In addition to the Warwick Castle set, some or all of the stylistic and constructional features are present on sets of chairs at Chirk Castle, Denbighshire (clients circa 1782); and the fluted seatrails interspersed with flowerheads and ringed-fluted legs feature on a suite of seat furniture supplied to 3rd Earl of Darnley for Cobham Hall (sold the property of a Lady, Christie's London, 19 November 1992, lots 104-105); Mayhew & Ince worked extensively at both houses. A closely related suite, executed in mahogany, was probably supplied to James Buller (b.1740) in the 1770s for Downes near Crediton in Devon (sold by the Hon. Mrs Buller, Christie's London, 19 May 1960, lot 47 and again anonymously, Christie's London, 12 November 1998, lots 84-88).
The closest parallel to these chairs is a set of giltwood armchairs supplied to George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick (sold by the Trustees of the Warwick Castle Resettlement, Christie's London, 21 March 1968, lot 115, and later anonymously at Christie's London, 10 April 2003, lot 25). Those chairs lacked the foliate clasps at the top of the backs, and the patera at the centre of the front seat-rail was not inset, but in all other respects the design was the same. There is a payment to Mayhew and Ince that totals £180 in the 2nd Earl of Warwick's account with Hoare's bank, which suggests a relatively small commission (The Dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660-1840, Leeds, 1986, p. 595). In addition to the Warwick Castle set, some or all of the stylistic and constructional features are present on sets of chairs at Chirk Castle, Denbighshire (clients circa 1782); and the fluted seatrails interspersed with flowerheads and ringed-fluted legs feature on a suite of seat furniture supplied to 3rd Earl of Darnley for Cobham Hall (sold the property of a Lady, Christie's London, 19 November 1992, lots 104-105); Mayhew & Ince worked extensively at both houses. A closely related suite, executed in mahogany, was probably supplied to James Buller (b.1740) in the 1770s for Downes near Crediton in Devon (sold by the Hon. Mrs Buller, Christie's London, 19 May 1960, lot 47 and again anonymously, Christie's London, 12 November 1998, lots 84-88).