.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
The compass-fronted and hollowed seats have pad-footed columnar legs in the George I 'Roman' fashion; while their backs derive from a Roman form of chair associated with Inigo Jones (d. 1652) and relate to those supplied in the 1720s for Ham House (P. Thornton, 'The Furnishing and Decoration of Ham House', Furniture History, 1980, fig. 152.
However, the backs being serpentined in the contemporary 'India-back' fashion, also relate to the Chinese lacquer panels of chairs at Houghton, Norfolk, which have been identified as the 'India Chairs' listed in the 1745 inventory (a pair, with seat frames attributed to James Moore, sold from Houghton Hall, Norfolk, Christie's, London, 8 December 1994, lot 110). A set of eight related walnut hall chairs was sold by the Marchioness of Tweeddale, Christie's, London, 12 March 1970, lot 41.
However, the backs being serpentined in the contemporary 'India-back' fashion, also relate to the Chinese lacquer panels of chairs at Houghton, Norfolk, which have been identified as the 'India Chairs' listed in the 1745 inventory (a pair, with seat frames attributed to James Moore, sold from Houghton Hall, Norfolk, Christie's, London, 8 December 1994, lot 110). A set of eight related walnut hall chairs was sold by the Marchioness of Tweeddale, Christie's, London, 12 March 1970, lot 41.