Walnut open armchair with upholstered seat and high back.
Identifier
FPF123
Title
Walnut open armchair with upholstered seat and high back.
Date
1890-1910 with one arm c.1725, legs and seat frame c.1760
Description
Walnut open armchair with upholstered seat and high back.
Full Description
This walnut open armchair has an upholstered high back of an unusual shape which tapers upwards to a flat, slightly scrolled crest rail. Out-scrolled ‘shepherd’s crook’ arms join a trapezoid padded seat, which is raised on square-section, chamfered and tapering front legs and similarly raked back legs, joined by a square-sectioned H-form stretcher. The chair is covered in probably 19th century close-nailed dark brown leather. The narrow webbing on the chair-back is 18th century, the wider webbing is later. Likewise, the hessian and webbing of the seat appears to be both 18th and 19th century. On the right arm there are signs of earlier tack marks suggesting a previous upholstery cover.
This chair is an interesting example of furniture made up in the late 19th or early 20th century using some 18th century parts and re-using materials, like Baltic oak in the back framing and the leather for the upholstery covers. The right arm is typical of c.1725, the left arm is a replica; the legs and stretchers and seat frame are mid-18th century; the tapering shape of the high chair-back has no precedent in the 18th and 19th centuries, and is constructed with re-used Baltic oak, with evidence of band-saw machining, suggesting an early 20th century alteration to a chair already composed of parts of various dates. The chair was probably made with the intention deceive and it is reasonable to assume Frederick Parker bought it on the assumption it was an authentic 18th century piece.
This chair is an interesting example of furniture made up in the late 19th or early 20th century using some 18th century parts and re-using materials, like Baltic oak in the back framing and the leather for the upholstery covers. The right arm is typical of c.1725, the left arm is a replica; the legs and stretchers and seat frame are mid-18th century; the tapering shape of the high chair-back has no precedent in the 18th and 19th centuries, and is constructed with re-used Baltic oak, with evidence of band-saw machining, suggesting an early 20th century alteration to a chair already composed of parts of various dates. The chair was probably made with the intention deceive and it is reasonable to assume Frederick Parker bought it on the assumption it was an authentic 18th century piece.
Condition
The left arm has been replaced.
The back was re-shaped in the early 20th century.
All the legs have been tipped.
The upholstery includes 19th century leather.
The back was re-shaped in the early 20th century.
All the legs have been tipped.
The upholstery includes 19th century leather.
Materials
Walnut.
Oak.
Upholstery.
Oak.
Upholstery.
Physical Dimensions
H. 107
W. 63
D. 60
W. 63
D. 60
Parker Numbers
OM 2314.
Provenance
Purchased by Frederick Parker & Sons prior to 1911. Ex. Clifford £8.0.0.
