Object Description
This is a superb set of eight Victorian mahogany balloon back dining chairs, Circa 1850 in date.
These chairs have been masterfully crafted in beautiful solid mahogany throughout and the finish and attention to detail on display are truly breathtaking.
The overstuffed seats have been reupholstered in a sumptuous crimson patterned fabric and they are raised on turned and fluted legs.
It is rare to find such a large, fabulous and comfortable set of chairs, they will enhance your dining table beautifully.
Provenance:
Bishton Hall,
Country House sitting in 25 acres of beautiful gardens in the centre of rustic Staffordshire and home of the Northcote family.
Condition:
In excellent condition having been cleaned, polished and the the seats reupholstered in our workshops. Please see photos for confirmation.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 89 x Width 49 x Depth 54
Dimensions in inches:
Height 2 foot, 11 inches x Width 1 foot, 7 inches x Depth 1 foot, 9 inches
Victorian balloon back dining chairs
They were the quintessential symbol of the Victorian era.
The upright is waisted just above the seat, widening to a rounded curve at the top rail, forming a balloon shape. The chairs were popular from the 1830s until the end of the 19th century.
Mahogany
is probably one of the largest ‘families’ of hardwood, having many different varieties within its own species.
Mahogany has been used for centuries in ship building, house building, furniture making etc and is the core structure of just about every 19th century vanity box, dressing case or jewellery box. It became more of a Victorian trend to dress Mahogany with these decorative veneers, such as Rosewood, Kingwood, Burr Walnut and Coromandel, so that the actual Mahogany was almost hidden from view.
Mahogany itself is a rich reddish brown wood that can range from being plain in appearance to something that is so vibrant, figured and almost three dimensional in effect.
Although Mahogany was most often used in its solid form, it also provided some beautifully figured varieties of veneer like ‘Flame’ Mahogany and ‘Fiddleback’ Mahogany (named after its preferred use in the manufacture of fine musical instruments).
Cuban Mahogany was so sought after, that by the late 1850′s, this particular variety became all but extinct.
Our reference: A1906