Description
A fine English late George II period carved mahogany wing armchair. Circa 1760.
Of good rich colour and patination.
This mid-18th century chair exhibits aspects of seat furniture design by the eminent cabinet-maker Paul Saunders (1722-1771). The fluting, fine carving of the Roman acanthus, and bold ”French” scroll feet are characteristic of his work. The fact that this chair is carved with these features to all four legs is a further indication of its excellent quality.
Nb. Now covered in exquisite Colefax fabric. We stripped this antique frame down and can confirm that the whole frame is totally original (photos of which are available upon request).
A supremely comfortable and sophisticated Georgian period wing chair.
Comparative Literature:
H. Cescinsky, ‘English Furniture of the Eighteenth Century’ (1911) vol. II, p. 91, fig. 89.
M. Jourdain and F. Rose, ‘English Furniture, The Georgian Period (1750-1830)’ London (1953) p. 71, fig. 30.
Paul Saunders (b.1722 – d.1771) supplied furnishings for both London and country house clients in the 1750s and 1760s, including Holderness House, London, Petworth House, Sussex, Holkham House, Norfolk, and Stowe, Buckinghamshire. His initial training was as an apprentice to the upholsterer Michael Bradshaw in 1738. The latter was probably related to George Smith Bradshaw who became his business partner after 1750. The partnership ended in 1756, but Saunders maintained part of the workshop located in Sutton Street nr. Soho Square. In 1757 he was appointed ‘Tapestry Maker to the King’ and in 1761 he attained the additional role of ‘Yeoman Tapestry Taylor’ in the Great Wardrobe. He held both positions until his death.
Vis. almost identical carved cabriole legs attributable to Paul Saunders – Sothebys, lot 68, 10th February, 1969.
