Painted and gilded beech armchair with bar back, scrolled arms and caned seat.
Identifier
FPF299
Title
Painted and gilded beech armchair with bar back, scrolled arms and caned seat.
Date
1800-1820
Description
Painted and gilded beech armchair with curved and scrolled bar back, scrolled arms and supports, caned seat and turned front legs.
Full Description
The curved and scrolled back on this beech armchair has a panel of three splats of close-set vertical bars of rectangular section, above a lower turned rail. The arms are boldly scrolled, as are the supports. The caned seat has bowed rails, and the front legs are turned to simulate bamboo, curving outwards at the bottom, to match the flared rear legs. This chair is typical of the kind that Thomas Sheraton made popular with his Cabinet Dictionary of 1803.
Beneath the later paint and gilding is evidence of original good quality gilding on a gesso surface. It is likely the chair was originally entirely gilded with black line decoration.
The chair is stamped twice with the initials ‘JS’ under the front rail, probably the initials of the journeyman or maker. A number of painted and gilded chairs of this period are recorded with the same initials, including one linked to John Gee of Soho, the royal chairmaker (BIFMO).
Beneath the later paint and gilding is evidence of original good quality gilding on a gesso surface. It is likely the chair was originally entirely gilded with black line decoration.
The chair is stamped twice with the initials ‘JS’ under the front rail, probably the initials of the journeyman or maker. A number of painted and gilded chairs of this period are recorded with the same initials, including one linked to John Gee of Soho, the royal chairmaker (BIFMO).
Condition
Later finish is chipped and damaged.
The seat has been re-caned.
A squab cushion made in the late 19th or early 20th century was with the chair in 1993 but is now missing.
The seat has been re-caned.
A squab cushion made in the late 19th or early 20th century was with the chair in 1993 but is now missing.
Materials
Beech.
Cane.
Cane.
Physical Dimensions
H. 79
W. 56
D. 58
W. 56
D. 58
Marks
Stamped ‘JS’ twice under the front rail.
Parker Numbers
6107. 4329.
Provenance
In the Frederick Parker Collection pre-1954.
Notes
See Thomas Sheraton, Cabinet Dictionary, 1803, pl.3.
For details on John Gee see:
Gee, John; Gee & Sons; Gee, Thomas Ayliffe; Ayliffe & Gee (1779–1824) | BIFMO
See also FPF316 for a similar chair.
The same arm shape, combined with Greek key decoration on a gilded and painted chair is illustrated in M. Harris & Sons – The English Chair, 1937, pl. 88B.
For details on John Gee see:
Gee, John; Gee & Sons; Gee, Thomas Ayliffe; Ayliffe & Gee (1779–1824) | BIFMO
See also FPF316 for a similar chair.
The same arm shape, combined with Greek key decoration on a gilded and painted chair is illustrated in M. Harris & Sons – The English Chair, 1937, pl. 88B.
