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Lot Essay
A single chair of closely related design at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London but constructed of padouk and with brass-inlaid splat is attributed to the celebrated cabinet-maker John Channon (d. 1779) who is recorded working in London from 1737 (see C. Gilbert and T. Murdoch, John Channon and Brass-Inlaid Furniture, 1730-1760, New Haven, 1993, p.128, fig.173 and D. Fitz-Gerald, ed., Georgian Furniture, London, 1969, no.38). Channon was principally a cabinet-maker and frame-maker although a few surviving invoices show that he invoiced chairs. Christopher Gilbert and Tessa Murdock present the possibility that Channon's involvement in chair-making may have been as retailer.
Other chair-makers were producing designs of similar inspiration. A chair design exhibiting a padded back but the same interrupted compass-form seat though centered by a shell appears on the trade card of John Hodson, cabinet-maker recorded working on Frith Street, London from 1723 to as late as 1786. Early Hodson commissions include that for the Duke of Atholl at Blair Castle (invoiced in 1738) and Lord Leicester at Holkham Hall (1736). A 1735-1736 bill covering furniture supplied to the Kennedys at Dalquharran included '6 Virginia walnutt Chairs'.
A pair of armchairs virtually identical to the example at the Victoria and Albert Museum was sold in these Rooms, the property from an American Private Collection, 16 April 2002, lot 155. Another pair of side chairs with same profile seatrail was sold Christie's London, 18 November 1993, lot 77. A set of eight of similar design was sold at Christie's London, 9 April 1987, lot 45.
Other chair-makers were producing designs of similar inspiration. A chair design exhibiting a padded back but the same interrupted compass-form seat though centered by a shell appears on the trade card of John Hodson, cabinet-maker recorded working on Frith Street, London from 1723 to as late as 1786. Early Hodson commissions include that for the Duke of Atholl at Blair Castle (invoiced in 1738) and Lord Leicester at Holkham Hall (1736). A 1735-1736 bill covering furniture supplied to the Kennedys at Dalquharran included '6 Virginia walnutt Chairs'.
A pair of armchairs virtually identical to the example at the Victoria and Albert Museum was sold in these Rooms, the property from an American Private Collection, 16 April 2002, lot 155. Another pair of side chairs with same profile seatrail was sold Christie's London, 18 November 1993, lot 77. A set of eight of similar design was sold at Christie's London, 9 April 1987, lot 45.
