Lot 106: A PAIR OF GEORGE III GILTWOOD OPEN ARMCHAIRS

By Thomas Chippendale Each with inverted heart-shaped padded back carved with guilloche and headed by ribbon-tied laurel-swags, with padded armrests on beaded scrolled supports filled with laurel, the serpentine seat above a laurel-carved apron centred by a flowerhead, on rectangular blocks, reeded tapering legs and and stepped turned feet with opposing laurel and toupie bases, regilt, covered in vert-de-mer silk, with exposed back struts, cramp-cuts and batten carrying-holes, one with later block (2) PROVENANCE Supplied to Sir Penistone Lamb, 1st Viscount Melbourne (1748-1819), for the Saloon of Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire, circa 1773 and by descent to Admiral of the Fleet Lord Walter Talbot Kerr, G.C.B., Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire, sold Messrs. Foster house sale, 9 March 1923, lot 362. Acquired at that sale by Sir Charles Nall-Cain, Bt., 1st Lord Brocket (d.1934) and by descent at Brocket Hall until Sold by The Lord Brocket Will Trust, in these Rooms, 16 November 1995, lot 358 (œ133,500). Hotspur. LITERATURE H. Avray Tipping, Country Life, vol. LVIII, 8 July 1925, p. 96 H. Avray Tipping, English Homes, Period VI, vol. I, London, 1926, pp. 19-21, figs. 30-31 and 33 C. Gilbert, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale, London, 1978, vol. I, p. 263 and vol. II, p. 11, fig. 21 and p. 109, fig. 186 C. Gilbert, 'Chippendale's Brocket Hall Saloon Suite', Christie's International Magazine, June-July 1994, pp. 46-49. NOTES The Brocket Saloon chairs conform suitably to what Christopher Gilbert has identified as the 'uniform character' of Chippendale's chair designs of the 1770s. Although he never repeated twice an exact decorative permutation, the basic arrangement of elements is common among most provenanced suites of this date. These chairs have the constructional features that have been identified as characteristic of the workshop, including the exposed back-struts, cramp-cuts and batten-holes (see: Gilbert, op. cit., 1994, vol. I, p. 41). THE CHRISTIE'S SALE HISTORY OF THE SUITE The Property of the Lord Brocket Will Trust A pair of torcheres, sold 7 July 1994, lot 100 (œ177,500). A pair of armchairs, sold 7 July 1994, lot 101 (œ161,000). A pair of armchairs, sold 7 July 1994, lot 102 (œ166,500). A pair of sofas, sold 7 July 1994, lot 103 (œ254,500). A pair of torcheres, sold 16 November 1995, lot 357 (œ227,000). A pair of armchairs, sold 16 November 1995, lot 358 (œ133,500). (The present lot) A pair of armchairs, sold 16 November 1995, lot 359 (œ84,000). A pair of sofas, offered 16 November 1995, lot 360 (sold after sale). A pair of armchairs, sold 8 July 1999, lot 80 (œ133,500). A pair of armchairs, sold 8 July 1999, lot 81 (œ106,000).