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Very Rare Gillows of Lancaster Regency Hardwood Harpist Height Adjustable Chair

Name: Very Rare Gillows of Lancaster Regency Hardwood Harpist Height Adjustable Chair
Brand: Gillows of Lancaster & London
Price: 3895.06 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

We are delighted to this stunning and very rare original Gillows of Lancaster Rosewood height-adjustable Harpist musician stool A very good looking and well-made piece, the chair is height adjustable as you can see, it’s a mixed beach and Hardwood frame with a nicely upholstered seat pad, the frame has period Regency brass inlay which is absolutely exquisite throughout The chair is in fully restored condition, there have been various repairs throughout the years, all of which have been tidied up in the full wash back and French polish, nothing you wouldn’t expect from an extremely tactile chair dating to more the 200 years old Dimensions: Height 82cm Width 45cm at the feet Depth 45cm at the feet Please note all measurements are taken at the widest point Gillows of Lancaster and London, also known as Gillow & Co, was an English furniture making firm based in Lancaster, Lancashire, and in London. It was founded around in Lancaster in circa 1730 by Robert Gillow (1704-1772 Gillows was owned by the family until 1814 when it was taken over by Redmayne, Whiteside, and Ferguson; they continued to use the Gillow name. Gillows furniture was a byword for quality, and other designers used Gillows to manufacture their furniture. Gillows furniture is referred to by Jane Austen, Thackeray and the first Lord Lytton, and in one of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operas. In 1903 Gillows merged with Warings of Liverpool to become Waring and Gillow and although the furniture remained of a high quality it was not as prestigious. Gillow family (1728-1814) In 1728 Robert Gillow began trading in Lancaster as a joiner, builder, house carpenter, furniture maker and overseas merchant. By the summer of 1731 he had entered into a partnership with a fellow catholic, George Haresnape, which had ended by 1735. By 1734 six other names appeared on their staff list. Gillows notably made heavy use of mahogany wood, which is indigenous to the Americas, from the early 1730s. In the early 1740s, Gillow owned a twelfth share of the ship Briget, which he partially used to import mahogany from the West Indies. The success of the firm was partly due to his ability to directly import mahogany; by 1742 Gillow was exporting finished mahogany furniture back to the West Indies. On 1 January 1757 Robert entered into an equal partnership with his son Richard Gillow (1733-1811), and the firm was known as Robert Gillow & Son. Richard was also the architect for several buildings in Lancaster. He financed the building of the Catholic church in Dalton Square, Lancaster in 1798. The family's Catholic history was important in building up a customer base within Lancashire's gentry, and their subsequent purchase of Leighton Hall, Lancashire from a cousin in 1822. On 31 December 1768 Robert Gillow I retired and left his share of the firm to his other son, Robert Gillow II (1747-1795). In 1769 and 1770, a shop at 176 Oxford Street, London, was sent up by the brothers' cousin, Thomas Gillow (1736-1779), to sell their furniture. Goodison and Hardy state that the firm opened a London branch in 1760 at 176 Oxford Road. By 1775 the Lancaster branch had 42 employees, and by 1789 there were about 50 employees.

Creator:

Gillows of Lancaster & London (Maker)

Dimensions:

Height: 32.29 in (82 cm)Diameter: 17.72 in (45 cm)

Style:

Regency (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Beech,Wood,Hand-Crafted

Place of Origin:

England

Period:

Early 19th Century

Date of Manufacture:

19th Century

Condition:

Wear consistent with age and use. Minor fading.

Seller Location:

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU2823319572002

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Gillows of Lancaster & London

It would be difficult to find an antique furniture enthusiast or collector unfamiliar with the name Gillows of Lancaster and London. The British furniture company — which has earned references in the writings of Jane Austen and elsewhere in literature — is renowned for its exceptional quality craftsmanship, and attracted designers such as Thomas Chippendale, Thomas Sheraton and George Hepplewhite in its heyday.

The firm was founded circa 1730 by Robert Gillow (1704–72), who worked as a joiner, housebuilder and overseas merchant before making furniture for homes and export. Gillow established his business in his home city of Lancaster. However, the company later expanded into London in the 1750s after Robert entered into a partnership with his son, Richard, who apprenticed with a London architect and learned the merchant trade in Barbados. Richard had entrepreneurial aptitude — he managed apprenticeships at the firm, ensured that quality materials were a priority, navigated economic hardships, and designed furniture, too. He created seating based on sketches drawn by his cousin, James Gillow, in London.

London’s wealthy upper class took notice of the Gillows’ high-quality furniture, which came to include bedroom furniture, cabinets, a range of seating and other pieces made of rosewood or rich mahogany imported from the West Indies and Jamaica. By the end of the 18th century, the manufacturer was one of the leading furniture makers in Britain. Gillows designed its own furnishings and worked with significant designers; they had in-house upholsterers and cabinetmakers and employed decorative techniques such as “japanning” in their designs.

Gillows of Lancaster and London became Gillow & Co. in 1813 after selling to Redmayne, Whiteside and Ferguson. The company continued to thrive throughout the Georgian era and into the Victorian period, a time that yielded well-known collaborations with Scottish architect and designer Bruce Talbert on a regular basis. High-brow clients of the manufacturer clamored for their inventive and functional designs for tables and writing desks, many of which incorporated whimsical elements such as secret and pop-up drawers. There was also demand for earlier Gillow designs such as Baroque and Gothic Revival pieces as well as adaptations of Chippendale works.

Despite their success, Gillow & Co. entered into financial hardship during the late 1800s with the advent of mass-produced furniture. By 1903, they merged with Waring of Liverpool to become Waring and Gillows and, in 1980, were taken over by Maple & Co. to become Maple, Waring and Gillow. Today, many Gillows of Lancaster and London pieces are in museums throughout the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia.

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