Armchair, c.1600–50

Oak

The iron staples, probably added in the eighteenth century, were intended
to accommodate two wooden poles for carrying the occupant
aloft.

Victor Chinnery Catalogue

Description

An oak panel-back armchair, the shaped crest-rail with leafy carving above a large single panel filled with strapwork carving centred by a multi-petalled flowerhead and flanked by channel-moulded uprights and scrolled arms raised on baluster-turned supports, the two-plank moulded trapezoidal seat supported on cabled seat-rails above baluster-turned front legs united by moulded stretchers carved all round with interlocking incised lunettes, the legs extended to form feet. Later fitted with two wrought iron staples to each side seat-rail, to accommodate carrying poles (see Comments below).

Dimensions

Ht: 48″  W: 24″ D: 21″

Condition

Generally very good, with excellent thin patination. The turned finials now missing from the top of the side uprights.

Additional Remarks

A high-quality chair, finished with careful attention to carving and other detail.

For an armchair similarly fitted with iron staples to accommodate carrying-poles, see Victor Chinnery, Oak Furniture – The British Tradition, Woodbridge 1979, pp. 57-9, Fig. 2:12. The chair is shown to have belonged to a Welsh Member of Parliament who was carried through the streets in triumph after each of his successful re-elections. Mannerist

Provenance

Purchased Yeovil Market, Somerset, c.1954.

Ex-coll. Michael Legg, Dorchester.

Purchased from Alistair Sampson, London, 3 March 1992.