A REGENCY MAHOGANY METAMORPHIC LIBRARY CHAIR

This metamorphic armchair corresponds very closely to the design first published in Rudolph Ackermann's Repository of Arts, July 1811 and captioned 'This ingenious piece of furniture is manufactured at Messrs. Morgan and Sanders's, Catherine-St. Strand' (P.Agius, Ackermann's Regency Furniture & Interiors, Marlborough, 1984, p.60, pl.29). The chair was 'considered the best and handsomest article ever yet invented, where two complete pieces of furniture are combined in one - an elegant and truly comfortable armchair and a set of library steps'.

A closely related chair, but with a plain tablet top rail, was sold anonymously Christie's, London, 20 March 2011, Lot 187 (£8,125 including premium).