A GEORGE II GILTWOOD OPEN ARMCHAIR

This 'Chippendale' chair, serpentined in 'French Easy Chair' fashion with cupid-bows, is enriched with reed-banded Roman foliage issuing from bubbled and wave-scrolled trusses. It relates closely to that of mahogany and damask upholstered side-chairs, that were supplied en suite with 'Roman' sideboard-tables for the banqueting Saloon of Hagley, Worcestershire and commissioned by Sir George Lyttleton, 5th Bt. and 1st Baron Lyttleton of Frankley (d.1773) (see side-chair and table illustrated O. Brackett, Thomas Chippendale, London, 1925 pls. 17 and 32). William Vile and John Cobb, George III's court cabinet-makers and St. Martin's Lane neighbours of Thomas Chippendale, supplied a similar set of side-chairs to the Hon. John Damer at Came House. These were invoiced in 1761 as: '10 good mahogany Back stool chairs with carv'd feet, stuft and covered with Damask and finish'd compleat with Burnish nails for 23 pounds (see R. Edwards and M. Jourdain, Georgian Cabinet-Makers, London, 1955, p.52; and A. Oswald, 'Came House, Dorset - II', Country Life, 27 February 1953, p. 574, figs. 7 & 8). A pair of the Hagley chairs were sold 'Property of the Viscount Cobham' in these Rooms on 14th June 2001, lot 40.