Peacock's Finest Seating

An elegant and rare burr walnut and walnut stool or bench in the Queen Anne style, raised on finely carved cabriole legs and with seat covered salmon and silver linen-silk damask. En...

An exceptional pair of Regency period chairs, with a well-shaped 'Klismos' outline and unusually generous proportions, attributed to George Oakley of Bond Street. London, circa 1810. Extremely rare and thought after model. Why we like them With front legs unusually splayed in two dimensions, this design is one of the most sophisticated examples from the Regency period. Unusual in form, subtle in ornamentation, and outstanding in quality, these chairs display the decorative techniques of cabinetmaking, rather than joinery. The veneers and Greek-key brass inlays cover the seat rails and front leg joints—a highly unusual feature for chairs—demonstrating superb cabinetmaking skills and suggesting a high-end workshop origin. Attribution: The extremely rare ‘double-splayed’ front legs, derived from ancient Greek Klismos seats, along with exquisite brass inlays, contribute to these chairs' distinctive elegance. This form, along with certain decorative elements, aligns with other pieces traditionally attributed to George Oakley (1773–1840), one of the foremost London cabinetmakers of the period. The scrolling foliage pattern of the inlays on the back tablets of these chairs matches the decoration on a spider-leg sofa table illustrated in F. Collard’s Regency Furniture (Woodbridge, 1987, p. 317) and Mallett’s The Age of Matthew Boulton - Masterpieces of Neo-classicism (London, 2000, pp. 112-113). This table, belonging to a group of furniture firmly attributed to Oakley, likely originates from the same workshop as these chairs. An identically decorated daybed, en suite with these chairs, appears in the same Mallett catalogue (pp. 94-95). A magnificent center table, featuring the same inlays and possibly from the same suite, was sold at Christie’s, New York, 29 January 1994, lot 342. An identical pair of chairs is illustrated in Ronald Phillips’s Fine Antique English Furniture 2018, pp. 158-159. George Oakley George Oakley’s firm produced stylish Grecian-inspired furniture around the turn of the 19th century, pioneering ‘Buhl’ inlay, a decorative technique that regained popularity in the Regency’s early years. Fashionable materials like rosewood, mahogany, and calamander were often used in Oakley's furniture, combined with satinwood, ebony inlays, brass stars, and metal bands. His high-class furniture earned him a royal appointment and a reputation for fine craftsmanship. Visits by the royal family to Oakley's Bond St. Showrooms are recorded as in the Morning Chronicle of 1799. In May, “the ROYAL FAMILY, with the PRINCE and PRINCESS of ORANGE did Mr. OAKLEY the honor of viewing his Printed Furniture...

Set of Six Late 18th Century George III period dining chairs with caned seats, attributable to Gillows. England, circa 1795. Why we like them The unexpected freshness and modernity...

A pair of Regency period Gonçalo Alves side chairs with caned seats, in the manner of Gillows of Lancaster and London. English, circa 1825. Why we like them Very chic. Exotic timbe...

A highly unusual Queen Anne style ball-and-claw tripod chair in its original leather upholstery. Unexpectedly generous proportions and heavy weight. Scotland or Ireland, 19th century...

A rare and elegant cream and green painted armchair of George III period, attributable to Gillows of Lancaster and London. England, circa 1800. Highly desirable and sought after mode...

A very rare 'curule' settee, late 19th century after a design by Jean-Joseph Chapuis. Provenance: Madeleine Castaing, Maison de Lèves, Chartres, France. Why we like it Besides the iconic provenance, this bench is a great example of the 19th century design, informed by classical antiquity. Decorated in the exotic 'Etruscan' style to simulate patinated bronze, with its dramatically exaggerated curves, evoking the ancient Roman 'sella curulis' - a symbol of magisterial power, this settee is truly a special example of its kind. A squab cushion covered in a fabric complimenting other textiles in the existing interior will complete the look of this super-stylish bench. Provenance – Madeleine Castaing Together with a pair of armchairs en-suite (sold by us in may 2022), this settee was photographed in the vestibule at Maison de Lèves near Chartres - country house of the iconic French interior designer and antiques dealer Madeleine Castaing (1894–1992). Madeleine married the heir and art critic Marcellin Castaing – the legendary love of her life – who in the 1920's acquired a neoclassical gentilhommière at Lèves, that she had been admiring since her days in a convent school nearby, for her to "unwind" as he explained. The house would become one of her masterpieces as she discovered her own vocation for interior design. Extant photographs reveal a number of changes that had been made to the interiors over time. The writer Maurice Sachs once wrote about Madeleine's passion for her home: “The constant transformations she made to the estate kept her as busy as the world can keep a socialite…”. The contents of Maison de Lèves as well as Castaing's Rue Jacob...

A superb quality pair of open armchairs, after late 18th century designs by Gillows of Lancaster and London, the manufacture attributable to Gillow & Co. English, circa 1880. Why we like them Wonderfully elegant model, looking very delicate but in fact unusually strong – the sign of a skilled craftsman. Interestingly, chairs of this exact model can be seen in a painting by Walter Dendy Sadler (British, 1854-1923), The After Lunch Conversation, 1889, sold at Doyle, New York, 21 May 2024, lot 83. Design These chairs correspond to Gillows’ 'Garforth pattern' - a rare and highly desirable design - which first appeared in 1795 and was probably an adaptation of Georges Jacob's design of circa 1792 for Marie-Antoinette's dairy at Rambouillet. Gillows made the chairs not only in mahogany but also japanned, and they appear to have been particularly popular among the genteel, professional, and merchant classes in the north of England. In 1796, the Earl of Strafford purchased six white and green japanned chairs for Wentworth Woodhouse...

A very fine and elegant pair of 'Klismos' hall chairs of the early Regency period. England, circa 1810. A rare and highly desirable model. Why we like them These chairs are made to ...

An extremely rare and elegant cream and green painted armchair of George III period, attributable to the renown firm of Gillows of Lancaster and London. English, circa 1805–10. Truly...

An extremely elegant and rare, superb quality set of six George III period dining chairs, English, circa 1780. A matching pair of armchairs is al...

An elegant pair of painted open armchairs from the early 19th century English Regency era, exquisitely hand-painted to simulate exotic timber and decorated with neoclassical festive ...

An extremely elegant, rare quality pair of George III period armchairs. English, circa 1780. Why we like them Wonderfully elegant model, looking very delicate but in fact unusually...

A rare design slipper chair of compact proportions, covered in well-aged, possibly original buttoned leather. A highly desirable and sought after model. England, circa 1860. Why we...

A fine pair of hall chairs of the Regency period, attributed to Thomas Banting and William France. England, circa 1820. Why we like them These fine hall chairs have a particularly elegant and sophisticated scrolled cartouche design of the backs, with the finest carving and figuring of the timber. Also of great colour and natural patination, these chairs are highly decorative and rare. Attribution The design of these chairs is identical to a set of hall chairs...

An extremely elegant, superb quality set of six George III period mahogany dining chairs. A pair of matching armchairs is available separately. English, circa 1780–1800 Why we lik...

A very elegant mid-18th century George III Chippendale-period armchair, or desk chair of wide proportions and a lovely mellow colour and patina; newly recovered in olive-green Zoffan...

A very rare, superb quality early 19th century, Regency period slipper chair, or cocktail chair; very smart and comfy, newly recovered in the super-chic C&C Milano 100% wool Italian ...

A superb quality pair of Regency period library or salon chairs, attributed to Gillows of Lancaster and London. English, circa 1825. Why we like them Quite possibly the most comfor...

A rare and unusual George III period painted hall chair of large proportions, England, circa 1780. Why we like it A very decorative and well-drawn chair, undoubtedly from an import...

An exceptionally rare, elegant, and superb quality set of eight George III period dining chairs. English, circa 1780. Why we like them Wonderfully elegant model, looking very deli...

A fine French late 18th century Klismos bench, of great colour and desirable generous proportions. Stamped G.Jacob. France, circa 1795. Why we like it A handsome, timeless design. With its curved sabre legs at either end, this bench relates to the ancient Greek 'Klismos' seats, often seen depicted on Attic pottery. Its superb quality, splendid patination and a recorded maker...

A superbly decorative pair of side chairs, exquisitely hand-painted to simulate exotic timber and ornamented with neoclassical festive ribbons and garlands, with Greek key border to ...