Metamorphic Chair and Ladder

A miniature 19th century 3.5 inch diameter pocket terrestrial globe by C. Abel-Klinger, Nuremberg, Germany, in English for the English speaking markets. Signed with cartouche reading...

A striking pre-war collage ski poster featuring both photographic and graphic images advertising the alpine resort of Wengen, Switzerland, featuring an e...

An English Regency neoclassical Egyptian Revival overmantel mirror, ebonized and parcel-gilt, of rectangular form, with pilasters on each sid...

A large, original vintage Swiss exhibition poster by celebrated graphic designer, Herbert Matter, for an exhibition at the Museum of Art & Craft in Zu...

A late 19th century Italian or Spanish carved oak octagonal center table, the top with beautifully inlaid specimen marble top decorated with cast brass scallop shells and flower head...

A 19th century Gothic Revival armchair in carved walnut upholstered in Holland and Sherry turquoise velvet. Inspired both by Japanese design and Eng...

With horizontal tablet crestrail with scrolled ends over down scrolled arms raised on saber legs, chair folds forward to form a ladder.

We are delighted to offer for sale this absolutely stunning, highly collectable, Limited Edition 52/150 Steward Linford William Shakespeare Metamorphic library steps armchair made from Historic Oak and Pewter from Shakespeare Warwickshire, exhibited in The Living Chair Museum This is pretty much the best-looking chair I have ever seen and certainly the most decorative library steps. The design is based on a Regency Gillow’s of Lancaster model of a metamorphic library steps, the idea being with tall Georgian bookcases you have a reading chair next to the bookcase and when you need to get a book down from on high, you simply flip the chair top over and you have steps This one has been specially made as a homage to William Shakespeare, the top of the back rest has been hand carved with a city scene depicting Shakespeare theatre, under we find a painted scene of Romeo courting Juliette, on the back you have William Shakespeare’s name hand carved in with the edition number 52/150, converting it to steps we find a pewter plaque...

A pair of George II design metamorphic library steps armchairs with shaped solid backs centered with painted scallop shell crests above hinged seats r...

Decorate a library or study with this artisan-made folding step ladder chair. Crafted in Southern France circa 1880, the metamorphic chair features two carved ladders in the back with a handle for easy handle; the double-function piece is hinged so that it can convert into a ladder with four stairs (maximum height of 33.5"). Iron straps with hooks allow for the piece to be secured in place both as a chair or as a ladder. The antique country ladder chair is in excellent condition commensurate with age and use with a rich walnut patina. A piece of ingenious French design, this versatile antique ladder...

We are  delighted to offer for sale this lovely antique Arts & Crafts Victorian metamorphic library steps chair in oak with period upho...

We are delighted to offer for sale this large and collectable lightly restored William IV circa 1830 Flamed Mahogany, metamorphic armchair which converts into Library steps attributed to Gillows of Lancaster and London. This is a wonderful piece of English history, I have never seen another with such elegant turned front legs, usually they are plainer and straight timber. The seat pad has been upholstered with a grey linen, the steps and raw flamed mahogany and look amazing. This chair is an important and extremely expensive looking thing that commands attention in any setting. You can see the same model made by Gillows currently viewed in the Victorian & Albert Museum, below is an extra from their listing. The period 1800-1825 was a great one for ‘patent’ or ‘metamorphic’ furniture This chair, which transforms into a short set of steps for use with bookshelves, is close to a design for a ‘Library Chair’ published in Rudolph Ackermann’s Repository of the Arts in July 1811, which was made by the London firm of Morgan and Saunders, of Catherine Street, Strand. They were well known for their ingenious furniture, including reading chairs with writing surfaces attached and a great variety of travelling beds...