Object Description
A superb and rare Chippendale Period Mahogany Armchair in the Chinese Manner with open lattice back beneath a pagoda shaped top rail, shaped, outward scrolling arms with carved, scrolled ends and the whole raised on square section blind-fret carved legs with Chinese corner brackets and united by a plain “H” shaped stretcher
Circa 1760
Price :£5,250-00p.
Height: 35.5”,90 cms, Width: 29”, 73.7 cms, Depth: 23.5”, 59.7 cms.
The fashion for all things Chinese certainly dates back to the 17th. century and seems to have its origins with the opening up of trade between Europe and the Far East. The silk routes became established trading corridors and the growth of the East India Company all fuelled the interest in Chinese art, culture and furnishings. Lacquered furniture was much sought after during the William and Mary/Queen Anne periods with panels being sent out to the orient for lacquering and being re-imported to be made into cabinets.
Stalker and Parker’s treatise on Japanning published in London in 1688 paved the way for English furniture makers to produce their own lacquerwork and further fuelled the passion for oriental influenced pieces. This waned somewhat during the early Georgian period but was revived in the middle of the 18th. Century with the publication of Chippendale’s “Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director”.
In this he introduced a whole range of furniture in the Chinese Taste ranging from Mirrors, Sconces and Bookcases to Chairs, Tables, Shelves and Cabinets. With symbols as varied as icicles, exotic birds, pagodas, railings, blind and open fretwork panels and brackets, the Chinese Chippendale taste quickly became high fashion.
Lacquerwork was once again much in demand and this Chair is a superb example of the very best “Chinese” pieces produced at that time. It takes its inspiration from Chippendales designs and published in all editions of his Director. Of particular note is the right hand design on plate XXVII of the third edition where the analogy between the Pagoda Topped rail and lattice work back allied to the blind fretwork on the legs links directly between this Chair and the plate.
Chippendale writes of the three plates, (XXVI, XXVII & XXVIII) “Nine Designs of Chairs after the Chinese Manner, and are very proper for a Lady’s Dressing Room: especially if it is hung with India Paper. They will likewise suit Chinese Temples. They have commonly Cane-Bottoms, with loose Cushions, but if required, may have stuffed Seats, and Brass Nails.”
The inclusion of this design within a Dressing Room hung with India Paper gives a clear idea of the opulence of the rooms chairs of this design were intended for. Further research might reveal if Chippendale had a particular client in mind for this scheme.
The “Dictionary of English Furniture” Vol. I Chairs: Pages 284 to 286 illustrates a number of chairs in the Chinese Manner and fig 186 features a pagoda style top rail with a lattice work back and states: “In fine examples the top rail rises to a Pagoda cresting.”
In Vol. III page 84 under Settees there is an illustration, Fig 33 of triple Chair Back Settee with comparable backs. This is dated to Circa 1760 and from Ingress Abbey Kent but now in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Ralph Edwards wrote: “ As splats became lighter, the need for substantial framework increased. His was especially true of the type produced during the ascendency of the Chinese taste, which in varying degrees affected most forms of furniture between 1750 and 1765.”
A black and gilt example is shown in “Thomas Chippendale” by Oliver Bracket Pages 164 – 165 , plate XV and was made for Hagley Hall between 1753 and 1760. It is one of a set from a bedroom.
Christopher Gilbert’s two volumes on “The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale is the authoritative work on his life and figure 167 from Vol. II shows a comparable Armchair possibly by Chippendale himself formerly at Normanton Hall.