Description
The serpentine top rails and pierced back splats all well carved. Moulded uprights.
Very unusually carved with egg and dart around the frames, continuing down the legs, the angles with ‘C’ scrolls which presage Chippendale’s interest in the ‘Chinese’ taste.
With slip-in seats ready for upholstery of your choice.
All six in crisply carved, hard Spanish mahogany from Cuba.
Nb. A total of nine chairs.
Nb. V&A collection (London): A Chair, 1765-70, made by an unknown cabinet maker after a design by Thomas Chippendale, Britain. Museum no. W.67-1940.
Nnb. Arthur Negus in his book ‘English Furniture’,1969, illustrates similar chairs on p. 65, ill. 20 & p. 67, ill. 21. Both dated 1765-1770.
See: Thomas Arthur Strange’s book on English Furniture, 1995 ed, p.181, for several similar Chippendale chairs. He dates these to the ”middle 18th century”.
A tip for ensuring the authenticity of period chairs is to try to lift one: the weight of which will amaze you. Inferior later models were much lighter in weight and often of lesser quality Honduras mahogany.
See also Ralph Edwards’ ‘Shorter Dictionary of English Furniture’ (Fourth impression 1972, 1st ed. 1754), and designs for chairs from Chippendale’s Director (3rd ed., Plate XXV, ca 1765) pp.148-150.
