This lot is offered by Christie Manson & Woods Ltd
Christie Manson & Woods Ltd
8 King Street, St. James's, London, SW1Y 6QT, United Kingdom
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Brought to you by
Benedict WinterAssociate Director, Specialist
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Lot Essay
This armchair belongs to a suite of seat furniture, with serpentine legs embellished with husk-enriched Venus-shells and terminating in ringed eagle-claws, that corresponds to a walnut suite supplied by William Hallett (d. 1781) of Long Acre in 1735 for the London house of Arthur Ingram, 6th Viscount Irwin (d. 1736) and later removed to Temple Newsam House, Yorkshire. The bill for the Irwin suite was submitted by Hallett in August 1735, the eighteen chairs costing £20 14s 0d, and the two sofas, £4 18s 0d. The suite was sold anonymously, Christie's, London, 29 June 1978, lot 19 (C. Gilbert, 'Newly Discovered Furniture by William Hallett', The Connoisseur, December 1964, pp. 224-225). A pair of side chairs from the suite from Hanbury were sold Sotheby's, London, 2 May 2017, lot 123 (£60,000, including premium). A chair with the same patterned feet was acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1898 (R. Edwards, A History of the English Chair, London, 1951, no. 58).
The early 18th Century French needlework, with colourful acanthus-wrapped and ribboned arabesques woven on a golden ground, displays cartouches of flowered brackets and fanciful figures engaged in weaving; while the seat cartouche displays an auspicious vignette and dragon-guarded tazza of fruit. The scenes relate to Chinese woodblock prints or porcelain ornament of the Kangxi period (1662-1722). Similar Chinoiserie cartouches appear on a set of mid-18th Century French giltwood fauteuils by Pierre Bara, in the Drawing Room at Scone Palace, illustrated in Scone Palace, Guide Book. One of the seat backs displays Chinese acrobats and another has astronomers flanking a globe wearing costumes and feathered hats and the seats have dragon cartouches. The needlework is attributed to the workshop of the tapissier Planqu at St. Cyr.
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Condition report
A Christie's specialist may contact you to discuss this lot or to notify you if the condition changes prior to the sale.
The condition of lots can vary widely and the nature of the lots sold means that they are unlikely to be in a perfect condition. Lots are sold in the condition they are in at the time of sale.
In overall fairly good decorative condition. With the inevitable knocks, marks, losses, scratches and shrinkage cracks, consistent with age and use. The needlework, as stated, has been reused, the petit-point is 18th century and has retained good colour overall but with losses, restitching and repairs throughout. Certain areas are showing backing cloth in places, particularly to the arms and the seat. The gros-point retaining very strong colours and in good overall condition. As stated the chair has probably been adapted from a sofa and reduced in depth and width. Undercloth would benefit from replacing. Some strengthening and restoration to the blocking and rails. Front left leg with losses. Front right leg with spliced repair. Front left side and front left ear replaced. Some restorations to the carving to the legs. Evidence of historic but apparently inactive woodworm to the rails. Overall a highly decorative chair of pleasing form and structurally secure.
Cost calculator
Lot 155Sale 21044
ATTRIBUTED TO WILLIAM HALLETT, CIRCA 1740A GEORGE II MAHOGANY WING ARMCHAIREstimate: GBP 8,000 - 12,000
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