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Lot Essay
This pair of mahogany armchairs relates closely in design to a suite of seat furniture supplied to John Spencer, later 1st Earl Spencer, which is attributed to the London upholder, cabinet-maker and tapestry-maker Paul Saunders (1722-1771). A pair of armchairs from the suite were sold in The Spencer House Sale, Christie’s, London, 8 July 2010, lot 1040 (£87,650 incl. premium), the other three remain in the Spencer Collections at Althorp, Northamptonshire.
The design demonstrates the influence of ‘French’ taste on English furniture in the mid-18th century, seen in the distinctive complimentary design of the front and side rails, and the marked curvature of the legs. The use of the cartouche to the knee and to the elbow of the arm supports is particularly distinctive; and features another pair of mahogany armchairs currently in an English Private Collection.
This French influence was first popularised in Thomas Chippendale's The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director, 1754, pl. XVIII – XIX to which interestingly, both Saunders and his partner Bradshaw were subscribers. Saunders' importance to chair-making has been somewhat overlooked in favour of his tapestry-making activities – he was Tapestry Maker to His Majesty the King from 1757 and his Soho workshop was known as 'The Royal Tapestry Workshop'. However, from 1750, he was patronised by one of the greatest collectors and patrons of the arts, Sir Hugh Percy, 1st Earl (later Duke) of Northumberland, supplying seat furniture to Petworth House, West Sussex.
The design demonstrates the influence of ‘French’ taste on English furniture in the mid-18th century, seen in the distinctive complimentary design of the front and side rails, and the marked curvature of the legs. The use of the cartouche to the knee and to the elbow of the arm supports is particularly distinctive; and features another pair of mahogany armchairs currently in an English Private Collection.
This French influence was first popularised in Thomas Chippendale's The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director, 1754, pl. XVIII – XIX to which interestingly, both Saunders and his partner Bradshaw were subscribers. Saunders' importance to chair-making has been somewhat overlooked in favour of his tapestry-making activities – he was Tapestry Maker to His Majesty the King from 1757 and his Soho workshop was known as 'The Royal Tapestry Workshop'. However, from 1750, he was patronised by one of the greatest collectors and patrons of the arts, Sir Hugh Percy, 1st Earl (later Duke) of Northumberland, supplying seat furniture to Petworth House, West Sussex.