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Lot Essay
The set of chairs was in the collection of Robert George Windsor-Clive, 1st Earl of Plymouth (d. 1923), politician and philanthropist, at St. Fagan’s Castle, Glamorgan, where part of the set was photographed on 29 June 1892 in the dining room by Bedford Lemere & Co. For most of the 19th century this room, originally the hall, was used as the family dining room and reception area but in 1895 a new dining room was built at the rear of the castle.
The chairs were probably acquired in the 1850s when the 1st Earl’s grandparents, the Honourable Robert Henry (d. 1854) (grandson of Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive of Plassey -‘Clive of India’) and his new wife Lady Harriet Windsor Clive (d. 1869) occupied St Fagan's and a period of refurbishment commenced. This included moving furniture, possibly including the dining-chairs, from the family's Worcestershire seat, Hewell Grange; a 17th century overmantel with the arms of the Windsor family bearing the motto, ‘Their nobility lies in their deeds’, and the oak panelling in the hall/dining room. Further renovation was undertaken between 1868 and 1869; a number of structural changes were made to the west side of the medieval castle wall and the 16th century parts.
The chairs are virtually identical to a set of cartouche wheel-back chairs illustrated in ‘The Balcony Room’ at Dyrham Park, Gloucestershire, and also to a further set of oval wheel-back chairs, also at Dyrham (A. Mitchell, Dyrham Park, London, 1995, p. 14; NT inventory no. 452996). The former are sometimes described as `French Hepplewhite’ style although their shape can be seen earlier in John Linnell’s upholstered chairs dated 1768 for Shardeloes (H. Hayward, P. Kirkham, William and John Linnell, Eighteenth Century London Furniture Makers, p. 34, fig. 61). In 1774, Thomas Chippendale was also supplying green and white 'japanned' ‘Star back’ chairs for Paxton House, Scotland (C. Gilbert, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale, London, 1978, vol. II, p. 271 and fig. 164). There are no extant pieces of furniture made by Hepplewhite or his firm but his name is associated with a distinctive style of light, elegant furniture fashionable between circa 1775 and 1800; the ‘Hepplewhite’ terminology was especially prevalent in the early-mid 20th century to describe such chairs. Unfortunately a firm attribution for the patern offered here remains elusive.
Other closely related sets of mahogany chairs include: a set of twelve chairs, in 1926, at Stonehurst, Ardingly, Sussex, and subsequently in the collection of Nigel Lawson, M.P., sold Sotheby’s, London, 30 May 1975, lot 83; a pair of armchairs, sold Sotheby’s, New York, 13 October 1990, lot 254, and a single armchair sold Christie’s, New York, 22 October 1998, lot 101. A pair of cream and blue-japanned armchairs of the same pattern was sold anonymously Christie’s, New York, 30 April 1997, lot 49.
The chairs were probably acquired in the 1850s when the 1st Earl’s grandparents, the Honourable Robert Henry (d. 1854) (grandson of Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive of Plassey -‘Clive of India’) and his new wife Lady Harriet Windsor Clive (d. 1869) occupied St Fagan's and a period of refurbishment commenced. This included moving furniture, possibly including the dining-chairs, from the family's Worcestershire seat, Hewell Grange; a 17th century overmantel with the arms of the Windsor family bearing the motto, ‘Their nobility lies in their deeds’, and the oak panelling in the hall/dining room. Further renovation was undertaken between 1868 and 1869; a number of structural changes were made to the west side of the medieval castle wall and the 16th century parts.
The chairs are virtually identical to a set of cartouche wheel-back chairs illustrated in ‘The Balcony Room’ at Dyrham Park, Gloucestershire, and also to a further set of oval wheel-back chairs, also at Dyrham (A. Mitchell, Dyrham Park, London, 1995, p. 14; NT inventory no. 452996). The former are sometimes described as `French Hepplewhite’ style although their shape can be seen earlier in John Linnell’s upholstered chairs dated 1768 for Shardeloes (H. Hayward, P. Kirkham, William and John Linnell, Eighteenth Century London Furniture Makers, p. 34, fig. 61). In 1774, Thomas Chippendale was also supplying green and white 'japanned' ‘Star back’ chairs for Paxton House, Scotland (C. Gilbert, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale, London, 1978, vol. II, p. 271 and fig. 164). There are no extant pieces of furniture made by Hepplewhite or his firm but his name is associated with a distinctive style of light, elegant furniture fashionable between circa 1775 and 1800; the ‘Hepplewhite’ terminology was especially prevalent in the early-mid 20th century to describe such chairs. Unfortunately a firm attribution for the patern offered here remains elusive.
Other closely related sets of mahogany chairs include: a set of twelve chairs, in 1926, at Stonehurst, Ardingly, Sussex, and subsequently in the collection of Nigel Lawson, M.P., sold Sotheby’s, London, 30 May 1975, lot 83; a pair of armchairs, sold Sotheby’s, New York, 13 October 1990, lot 254, and a single armchair sold Christie’s, New York, 22 October 1998, lot 101. A pair of cream and blue-japanned armchairs of the same pattern was sold anonymously Christie’s, New York, 30 April 1997, lot 49.