AN EARLY GEORGE II GILTWOOD ARMCHAIR

IN THE MANNER OF WILLIAM KENT, CIRCA 1730

Details

Together with a later copy, circa 1900; the George II chair inscribed in chalk to the inner back seat rail 'E 8116 Ex Asprey', with losses to proper right dolphin foot, covered in green upholstery, the later chair with a white covering and red wash to the rails
36 in. (91.4 cm.) high, 29 1/2 in. (74.9 cm.) wide


Lot Essay

The elaborate decoration on this chair reflects the movement to more intricate ornament on a fundamentally Queen Anne form. The French design influence of Daniel Marot is also marked by the use of Roman acanthus and strapwork, which are typical of motifs produced by the great architect and designer to William III and illustrated in his Nouveau Livre d'Orfevrerie. The elements of the stepped graduated shell and robustly-carved dolphin feet evoke classical marine imagery such as Venus rising from the sea or Neptune on his chariot and also reflect the growing attention to trade and travel in the East. Such dolphin feet feature on a Chairman's seat supplied about 1730 for an East India Trading Company court room in London's Leadenhall Street (Country Life, vol. 65, 1929, p. 242, fig. 11), the chair was subsequently became that of the Secretary of State for India.
A virtually identical chair which was formerly part of the acclaimed collection of Sir George Donaldson (ill. R. Edwards, The Shorter Dictionary of English Furniture, London, 1964, p. 136, fig. 76) was sold from the Property of Melvyn H. Rollason, Esq., Christie's, London, 17 November 1983, lot 63. Another similar example but with over-upholstered arms, no apron, and interestingly also together with a later copy was sold from the James Stillman Davison Collection; Christie's, New York, 14 October 2004, lot 1421.