.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Kimbolton Castle came into the possession of Charles Montagu, 4th Earl and later 1st Duke of Manchester, in 1683. The house was remodelled in the current fashion under the direction of Sir John Vanburgh, the architect of Castle Howard and Bleinheim Palace (Country Life, 23 September 1911, pp. 440-448 and 30 September 1911, pp. 474-486). The 4th Earl also undertook the refurnishing of Kimbolton in the contemporary style and was undoubtedly influenced by the popularity of the Huguenot designer to King William III, Daniel Marot. In fact, much of the furniture is in the manner of Marot and relates to his designs published in his Oeuvres and Second Livre d’Appartements (both from 1703). While not recorded at Kimbolton, Thomas Roberts, cabinet-maker to the Royal Household, is a likely maker for the suite. In addition to his Royal patronage, Roberts was commissioned to supply furniture for some of the greatest country houses of the time including Chatsworth, Houghton Hall and Moor Park. Intriguingly, Montagu’s cousin, Ralph Montague, 1st Duke of Montagu, was Master of the Great Wardrobe for William III and could have provided an introduction.
The Duke of Manchester served as Ambassador to the Court of Louis XIV in 1699 and was subsequently appointed Ambassador Extraordinary to Venice. When the Kimbolton pair of chairs was sold in 1973 (and another from the set photographed in The Dictionary of English Furniture), they were covered in Genoese cut-velvet which hung over the seat frame. This rich textile was likely acquired during the Duke’s time in Italy.
A virtually identical suite of chairs in walnut, now dispersed, was formerly at Rushbrooke Hall, Suffolk (one chair illustrated in A. Bowett, English Furniture 1660-1714, Woodbridge, 2002, p. 240 pl. 8:20). Another closely related suite was supplied to Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl Nottingham for Burley-on-the-Hill, sold Christie's, London, 6 July 1989, lots 148-152.
The Duke of Manchester served as Ambassador to the Court of Louis XIV in 1699 and was subsequently appointed Ambassador Extraordinary to Venice. When the Kimbolton pair of chairs was sold in 1973 (and another from the set photographed in The Dictionary of English Furniture), they were covered in Genoese cut-velvet which hung over the seat frame. This rich textile was likely acquired during the Duke’s time in Italy.
A virtually identical suite of chairs in walnut, now dispersed, was formerly at Rushbrooke Hall, Suffolk (one chair illustrated in A. Bowett, English Furniture 1660-1714, Woodbridge, 2002, p. 240 pl. 8:20). Another closely related suite was supplied to Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl Nottingham for Burley-on-the-Hill, sold Christie's, London, 6 July 1989, lots 148-152.