A PAIR OF GEORGE II WALNUT AND BURR WALNUT SIDE CHAIRS

The ladder-back design relates to a set of six walnut side chairs, originally with rush-filled seats, supplied circa 1745 for Newport Church, Essex, by Giles Grendey (d. 1780), the St John's Square, Clerkenwell cabinet-maker (C. Gilbert, The Pictorial Dictionary of Marked London Furniture, Leeds, 1996, p. 242, fig. 436).
Grendey's career spanned more than 50 years and he established a prolific workshop with a wide range of clients including in the 1740s Richard Hoare of Barn Elms and Henry Hoare of Stourhead, as well as supplying the celebrated suite of some eighty scarlet japanned items for the Duke of Infantado's castle at Lazcano in northern Spain.
His trade label has appeared widely and on the basis of stylistic analogy attributions to Grendey are widespread. A common feature of his work however is the presence of a journeyman's stamped initials, as in the present lot ('HN' on the rear seat rail), thus inviting a more confident attribution.
A related ladder back chair is illustrated in A. Bowett, Early Georgian Furniture, 1715 - 40, Woodbridge, 2009, p.186, pl.4.87.
See also lot 64.