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Lot Essay
This pair of mahogany chairs was almost certainly designed in circa 1778 by Thomas Chippendale the Younger (d. circa 1822-23). Chippendale Snr. (d. 1779) retired in 1776, and although it is impossible to know exactly when his eldest son’s ideas on design began to contribute and then to prevail, by this date the latter was well versed in the St. Martin’s Lane firm’s ‘house style’. Chippendale Snr. undoubtedly remained in touch with the firm’s activities, and the name of the firm, Chippendale Haig & Co. continued to be used until his death in November 1779.
These chairs are almost certainly part of a larger set; eight chairs of this model sold Christie’s, New York, 19 April 2001, lot 149 ($314,000 inc. premium), and a sofa from the set sold Christie’s, New York, 16 April 2002, lot 290 ($77,675 inc. premium). The set was probably supplied to Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 3rd Bt. (d. 1785) for one of his London houses, either 29 Grosvenor Square or Browne’s House, North End, Fulham.
SIR GILBERT HEATHCOTE, Bt, AND THE CHIPPENDALE FIRM
The recent discovery of two inventories for Sir Gilbert Heathcote’s London properties, compiled by Messrs. Chippendale and Haig, the latter, Thomas Chippendale the Younger and Chippendale Snr.'s former business partner, show that in March 1786, following the death of Sir Gilbert in 1785, the Chippendale firm was appointed by the executors of Sir Gilbert’s estate, his wife Lady Elizabeth Heathcote, and brother, John Heathcote, Esq., to raise inventories of furniture at Grosvenor Square and Browne’s House (TNA C 109/261). There are several references throughout the inventories to such seat-furniture, however, a set of '12 Maho’y Chairs’ in the ‘Dining Parlour’ of 29 Grosvenor Square is the only set to be specifically identified as ‘mahogany’. The closest Chippendale account at Browne’s House, although it refers to 'large armed Chairs', is that dated 7 May 1778, which lists: Tape thread and making Cases of do fringed Complt to 10 large armed Chairs, a Settee and 4 small Chair seats in drawing room at North End, Cutting out there 2 5 -' (C. Gilbert, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale, London, 1978, vol. I, p. 251).
In 1759, Sir Gilbert succeeded to the vast inheritance established by his grandfather, also Gilbert, 1st Bt. (d. 1733). He employed both Chippendale Snr. and Thomas Chippendale the Younger in the furnishing of his Palladian mansion Normanton Hall, Rutland, and his London houses. Surviving Chippendale accounts, though probably incomplete, show that the firm was working periodically for members of the Heathcote family from 1768 to 1821. The St. Martin’s Lane firm supplied other sets of seat-furniture to Sir Gilbert including undoubtedly a set of related medallion-back hall chairs for Normanton Hall, which feature ‘sunflower’ fluted backs painted with Sir Gilbert's cypher and crest on a gold ground (Gilbert, ibid., vol. I, p. 249, and vol. II, fig. 154). However, surviving Heathcote furniture including the present chairs cannot be conclusively identified in the extant Chippendale accounts.
The palm-flowered ornament found on the present chairs features on several suites of furniture executed by the Chippendale firm in the 1770's, such as the medallion-back chairs supplied circa 1778 for Burton Constable. (C. Gilbert, ibid., vol. II, figs 192-194), whilst the distinctive reeded front legs are shared with the suite of giltwood seat-furniture comprising twelve armchairs and a sofa supplied by Chippendale, also in 1778, to George Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont for either Egremont House, London or Petworth House, Sussex (ibid., p. 109, fig. 187).
We would like to thank Judith Goodison for her assistance in the preparation of this note.
These chairs are almost certainly part of a larger set; eight chairs of this model sold Christie’s, New York, 19 April 2001, lot 149 ($314,000 inc. premium), and a sofa from the set sold Christie’s, New York, 16 April 2002, lot 290 ($77,675 inc. premium). The set was probably supplied to Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 3rd Bt. (d. 1785) for one of his London houses, either 29 Grosvenor Square or Browne’s House, North End, Fulham.
SIR GILBERT HEATHCOTE, Bt, AND THE CHIPPENDALE FIRM
The recent discovery of two inventories for Sir Gilbert Heathcote’s London properties, compiled by Messrs. Chippendale and Haig, the latter, Thomas Chippendale the Younger and Chippendale Snr.'s former business partner, show that in March 1786, following the death of Sir Gilbert in 1785, the Chippendale firm was appointed by the executors of Sir Gilbert’s estate, his wife Lady Elizabeth Heathcote, and brother, John Heathcote, Esq., to raise inventories of furniture at Grosvenor Square and Browne’s House (TNA C 109/261). There are several references throughout the inventories to such seat-furniture, however, a set of '12 Maho’y Chairs’ in the ‘Dining Parlour’ of 29 Grosvenor Square is the only set to be specifically identified as ‘mahogany’. The closest Chippendale account at Browne’s House, although it refers to 'large armed Chairs', is that dated 7 May 1778, which lists: Tape thread and making Cases of do fringed Complt to 10 large armed Chairs, a Settee and 4 small Chair seats in drawing room at North End, Cutting out there 2 5 -' (C. Gilbert, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale, London, 1978, vol. I, p. 251).
In 1759, Sir Gilbert succeeded to the vast inheritance established by his grandfather, also Gilbert, 1st Bt. (d. 1733). He employed both Chippendale Snr. and Thomas Chippendale the Younger in the furnishing of his Palladian mansion Normanton Hall, Rutland, and his London houses. Surviving Chippendale accounts, though probably incomplete, show that the firm was working periodically for members of the Heathcote family from 1768 to 1821. The St. Martin’s Lane firm supplied other sets of seat-furniture to Sir Gilbert including undoubtedly a set of related medallion-back hall chairs for Normanton Hall, which feature ‘sunflower’ fluted backs painted with Sir Gilbert's cypher and crest on a gold ground (Gilbert, ibid., vol. I, p. 249, and vol. II, fig. 154). However, surviving Heathcote furniture including the present chairs cannot be conclusively identified in the extant Chippendale accounts.
The palm-flowered ornament found on the present chairs features on several suites of furniture executed by the Chippendale firm in the 1770's, such as the medallion-back chairs supplied circa 1778 for Burton Constable. (C. Gilbert, ibid., vol. II, figs 192-194), whilst the distinctive reeded front legs are shared with the suite of giltwood seat-furniture comprising twelve armchairs and a sofa supplied by Chippendale, also in 1778, to George Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont for either Egremont House, London or Petworth House, Sussex (ibid., p. 109, fig. 187).
We would like to thank Judith Goodison for her assistance in the preparation of this note.