Walnut armchair with upholstered seat, back and arms.

FPF380

Walnut armchair with upholstered seat, back and arms.

1948-1949

Walnut armchair with turned and carved frame, and upholstered seat, back and arms.

This walnut armchair was made as a reproduction by Parker Knoll and is comparable with FPF001. It was made using chair parts in stock after the Second World War. Overall the style is late-17th century; the carved arms in the form of crouching lions each grasping a ball between their paws, are copies of those on FPF001, which are 17th century and Continental; the scrolled front legs with acanthus carving and the front stretcher carved with a crown and scrolls are copied from English chairs of around 1685-90, the front stretcher similar to that on FPF024. The turned back legs and H-form stretchers, with the higher rear stretcher, are also in late 17th century style. The seat cushion is supported on patented Parker Knoll tension springs, and the chair is covered in a wool tapestry cloth with trimmings.

This type of reproduction furniture was still in demand after the war, sufficient for Parker Knoll to make this example, but this was done while the Utility restrictions were still in place, and it proved not to be commercially viable due to the high Purchase Tax imposed. The market for reproductions gradually declined in the post-war years, but at the same period Parker Knoll were developing chairs which conformed with the Utility scheme (see FPF451 for example) and which were contemporary in style, heralding a new and modern look in English homes.

Upholstery and covers contemporary with the chair.

Walnut.
Steel tension springs.
Upholstery

H. 99
W. 61
D. 79

Frame marked: Parker Knoll Furniture Ltd, London Road, Chipping Norton, Oxon.
Label on seat cushion, 4182FP.

Made by Parker Knoll in c.1948, acquired by the Frederick Parker Foundation prior to 1993.

For a similar chair in the Collection, compare with FPF001.