The elegant Grecian-scrolled chair, with French-fashioned ormolu acanthus and palm enrichments, relates to patterns in George Smith's Collections of Designs for Household Furniture and Interior Decoration, 1808. It may have formed part of a large suite supplied around that period for Shugborough, Stafforshire. Some of the latter, described as 'excellent' and having 'or-molu' mountings were listed in the Shugborough sale of August 1842 (John Martin Robinson, Shugborough, 1989, p.76).
An armchair of this pattern was sold from Hadspen House, Somerset, Sotheby's house sale, 29 May 1996, lot 107.
Two armchairs of a similar pattern were sold by the Executors of the late Lord Croft, from Croft Castle, Herefordshire, Sotheby's, London, 6 June 2002, lot 73.