A PAIR OF REGENCY MAHOGANY HALL CHAIRS

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A PAIR OF REGENCY MAHOGANY HALL CHAIRS
Each with pierced shaped back centred by a leaf-wrapped pine-cone finial above a ropetwist moulded pelta issuing confronting eagles heads above a concave-sided leaf-wrapped support terminating in a shell and flanked by dolphins above the shaped seat with gadrooned edge above a plain frieze, on ring-turned and spirally-reeded tapering legs, with slightly outsplayed front feet, repaired break below one eagles' head (2)

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Sale room notice

A hall chair of this design was supplied to Sir John Hayford Thorold, 10th Bt., (1773-1831) for the library, Syston Park, Lincolnshire, illustrated in a watercolour of circa 1824, by Thomas Kearnan and illustrated in T. Knox, 'Sir John Thorold's Library at Syston Park, Lincolnshire', Apollo, September 1997, p.25). Much of the furniture was supplied by Gillows, invoiced by them in 1821.

Lot Essay

These handsome cable-reeded chairs display eagle-headed 'pelta' shields and Venus-shell badges supported by embowed dolphins and festive ivy-wrapped pillars. With their robust nautical ornament, they are conceived in the George IV 'Grecian' manner popularised by George Smith's The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer's Guide, 1826. In his Encyclopedia of Cottage, Farm and Villa Architecture and Furniture, 1833, J. C. Loudon illustrated some related hall chairs, and criticised them for having plain curved back legs that were out of keeping with the ornamental front legs. Whereas in the present case the back legs are richly carved to harmonise with the front ones. A related pair of oak hall chairs was offered anonymously, in these Rooms, 16 September 1999. lot 10. A further related set of six was sold from the Edward James collection, West Dean Park, Christie's house sale, 2, 3 and 6 June 1986, lot 178.

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