Object Description
The Glynllifon “Rutland” Chairs Supplied by Gillows in 1823 to Thomas John Wynn, Second Baron Newborough, each of this pair of solid rosewood chairs with a lyre shaped back and rolled arms, the arms continuous with the shaped seat rail and four outswept scroll legs, carved throughout with fleshy acanthus leaves, with hidden castors, reupholstered in burgundy leather. English, circa 1823.
Provenance: Supplied to Thomas John Wynn, 2nd Baron Newborough, Glynllifon, Wales
Christies London 9 March 2000 Lot 101.
Kentshire Galleries, New York
A private US Collection
These fine chairs, executed in solid, carved rosewood, are highly important and documented examples of Gillows furniture. This model of chair was known in the Gillows workshop as the ‘Rutland’ and the invoice for this pair survives in the Glynllifon records in Gwynedd Record Office. This invoice was reproduced in the 2000 Christie’s sale catalogue mentioned above and is illustrated below. The bill reads ‘2 rosewood Rutland chairs, richly carved frames en suit (sic) with sofas, stuffed in fine canvas £33.0.0’. The upholstery in ‘Taberay and gold coloured gimp’ cost a further £11.10.6 and brown throw-over covers cost an additional £2.6.0
Upon his return from his Grand Tour in Europe in 1823, Thomas John Wynn began the modernisation and refurnishing of his home at Glynllifon. The furniture side of this commission was supplied almost entirely by the Oxford Street branch of Gillows, hence the remarkably up to date and fashionable nature of the furnishings. In total the price of the work came to over £3000 and the furniture required 72 cases for its transport to its final destination, the installation process alone taking some 22 days. When the house was sold in the 1950s these chairs, along with several other important pieces of furniture, were retained by the family until their sale on the 9th of March 2000.
Fully documented pieces of furniture supplied by the Oxford Street branch of Gillows are very rarely encountered and these chairs are extremely important in furniture history terms as well as being aesthetically beautiful and highly decorative.