Lot Essay
These heraldic 'parlour' or banqueting chairs, designed in the George II 'antique' manner, have serpentined legs terminating in bacchic lion-paws. They display ermine-banded and acanthus-wrapped cartouches with ostrich plumes and ducal coronets in celebration of the Astley family's chivalric achievements. This pair of chairs is part of a set that is thought to have been ordered by Sir Philip Astley, 2nd Baronet (d.1739) or his son Sir Jacob Astley, 3rd Baronet (d.1760), and which was inherited by descent with the Barons Hastings of Melton Constable, Norfolk. Sir Jacob, the 3rd Baronet, had married an heiress of the ancient Barony of Hastings, which had fallen into abeyance. In 1817, his great-grandson, Jacob Astley succeeded in resurrecting the peerage in 1841 when he became the 16th Baron Hastings.
The history of the set of walnut chairs may perhaps be associated with that of a suite of George II drawing-room chairs embroidered with flower-framed 'Astley' vignettes. These portray the medieval tournaments of Sir John Astley (d.1484) of Patshull, Staffordshire, created a Knight of the Garter by King Edward VI. Their scenes derived from a panel painting copied from the illuminated 'Hastings' manuscript (now in the British Museum), and this painting, like the drawing-room chairs, were at one time in the possession of the Astley Corbett family of Eversley, Wiltshire (C. Hussey, 'Needlework Furniture at Melton Constable', Country Life, 6 October 1928, pp. 478-480). The needlework suite was sold by the Trustees of Sir F.E. Astley Corbett, Bt., in these Rooms, 5 July 1917, lot 124.
In the privately printed Catalogue of the Ornamental Furniture, Works of Art, and Porcelain, at Melton Constable Hall, Norfolk, the suite of which the present lot is a part, was described as:
'SUITE; consisting of six arm-chairs, twenty-four dining chairs; the frames covered with veneer of burr-walnut, shaped shield backs, the legs curved, the upper part carved with the Astley crest. Claw feet. Upholstered in crimson morocco.
English work of the 18th century.
Mentioned in an inventory made in 1799.'
It seems likely that this extraordinarily long set included the later copies made in Victorian times, of which the following lot (lot 31) is a part. All the chairs appear in the 1860 inventory of Melton Constable compiled by the 17th Lord Hastings (d.1871) who probably had the copies made.
Eight George II walnut chairs (including two armchairs) from the same set, were sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 9 April 1987, lot 45.
The history of the set of walnut chairs may perhaps be associated with that of a suite of George II drawing-room chairs embroidered with flower-framed 'Astley' vignettes. These portray the medieval tournaments of Sir John Astley (d.1484) of Patshull, Staffordshire, created a Knight of the Garter by King Edward VI. Their scenes derived from a panel painting copied from the illuminated 'Hastings' manuscript (now in the British Museum), and this painting, like the drawing-room chairs, were at one time in the possession of the Astley Corbett family of Eversley, Wiltshire (C. Hussey, 'Needlework Furniture at Melton Constable', Country Life, 6 October 1928, pp. 478-480). The needlework suite was sold by the Trustees of Sir F.E. Astley Corbett, Bt., in these Rooms, 5 July 1917, lot 124.
In the privately printed Catalogue of the Ornamental Furniture, Works of Art, and Porcelain, at Melton Constable Hall, Norfolk, the suite of which the present lot is a part, was described as:
'SUITE; consisting of six arm-chairs, twenty-four dining chairs; the frames covered with veneer of burr-walnut, shaped shield backs, the legs curved, the upper part carved with the Astley crest. Claw feet. Upholstered in crimson morocco.
English work of the 18th century.
Mentioned in an inventory made in 1799.'
It seems likely that this extraordinarily long set included the later copies made in Victorian times, of which the following lot (lot 31) is a part. All the chairs appear in the 1860 inventory of Melton Constable compiled by the 17th Lord Hastings (d.1871) who probably had the copies made.
Eight George II walnut chairs (including two armchairs) from the same set, were sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 9 April 1987, lot 45.