This l9th century "antiquarian" desk-chair evoking "Elizabethan" poets and authors such as Shakespeare, is enriched with heart-fretting evocative of Welsh furniture making. An almost identical chair is conserved in the St Fagans National History Museum, Cardiff. The museum's chair was given by descendants of the wealthy 19th century industrial Crawshay family. The chair is believed to have been made from a yew tree felled from their estates at Treforest, near Pontypridd, South Wales.
Interestingly, this chair has the same brass discs inset into the arm terminals suggesting that this was in fact a decorative detail rather than a later infill for original rotating arms. The Museum's chair also has a brass disc inset into the front of the seat.
We are grateful to Dr. Sioned Williams, Furniture Curator, National History Museum, Cardiff