Armchairs, Pair, Flemish, 17th Century, Walnut, Upholstered, Bargello, Scrollarm

A museum quality, late-17th century, walnut, upholstered sleeping armchair • Exceptionally rare model; one of the first models of upholstered armchair with the addition of the wings intended to conceal draughts. • Transitional form : many of the carved features are characteristic of Baroque furniture dating from 1680 and the incorporation of upholstery is influenced by the desire for comfort post restoration of Charles II introducing French fashions to the English court. • Striking, statement piece. The cresting, “H” stretcher and scrollwork carving which features throughout the chair inject gravitas. • Practical size and ergonomic comfortable design, suitable for regular use. The original, carved, walnut cresting supported by a pair of dragons with scrollwork either side of a central stylised leaf spray. The shaped rectangular back with wings. The sweeping arms with carved scroll ends supported by tapering turned uprights emerging from blocks. The rectangular seat supported by double scroll carved and column turned legs joined by an ‘H’stretcher which mirrors the shape of the back in the centre with finial, column turned side and back stretcher and back legs. Exceptional original colour and patina. c.1690. CONDITION : re-upholstered in a recreation of 17th century, Italian, bargello embroidery which is characteristic of the period. Tiny marks, wear and losses as expected throughout the armchair. The finial is a C19 or early C20 replacement. The stretcher has suffered from worm damage and there are replaced sections at either end of 1” and 1½ “ respectively, and an area to the left of the finial has been filled. This work was not done by me and has some age to it and the finial was probably replaced at the same time. The armchair is sturdy and suitable for regular use. PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Cheyne Walk, London RELATED : Few sleeping chairs...

"This rare pair of upholstered open armchairs relate to examples in museum collections in France, the USA and the UK. Few pieces of Renaissance furniture featuring ram’s head motif arm terminals survive as the chairs would have been in the ownership of the elite symbolising leadership and authority. The condition of these armchairs reflects their age and use and they have a rich colour and lustrous patina. The form of these chairs is characteristic of a stereotypical Renaissance model. The upholstered section of the backs are upholstered in wool with applied 17th century floral needlework faced with gilded studs and supported by square section uprights. The channelled tablet and stylised rosette incised curved arms terminate in acanthus capped carved rams' masks and are supported by column turned uprights headed by an entrelac collar. The ram is a symbol of leadership and authority and it also determination, action, initiative, and Aries, the first sign of the Zodiac. The seats are upholstered in wool with applied 17th century needlework faced with gilded studs and supported by tapering column/ring turned front legs and square section back legs. Some of the stretchers with moulded detailing. Standing on front ball feet. Exceptional original colour and patina. Henri II 1550-60. Condition: The chairs are both sturdy with exceptional colour and patina. One armchair with a splice on the rhs back leg and replaced but period front and lhs stretcher both bearing old nail marks, two other replaced stretchers and the back uprights bearing old nail marks indicating that they were upholstered at some point. The other armchair with an old repair to a break in the right back leg and an old patch near the end of the leg, replaced but period back and lhs stretcher, small patch to bottom of lhs arm where it meets the support. Old worm marks and some losses. Considering the age of the armchairs, these repairs and replacements are not unusual and consistent with the repairs on the related armchairs in museum collections. They suggest that the chairs either fell backwards at some point or someone leant back while sitting in them. Back Height 107cm, 42in, Seat Height 59.5cm, 23½in Width 60cm, 23½ in, Seat 59cm, 23¼in Depth including arm 59cm, 23¼in, Seat 49cm, 19¼in Provenance: Deaccessioned by The National Galleries of Scotland Bearing an old transport label from Alain Moatti (French architect) to Mrs Katz, London Literature: Related to : There are comparable armchairs in international museum collections dated to the second half of the 16th century. Most share the following characteristics with the above pair, the form, the ram's mask carved to the end of each arm, the curvilinear outline of the arm rests, the ring turned front legs as well as the plain square section back legs and plain stretchers. 1. Two stained glass windows...

A fine, large, late 17th century, Flemish, open armchair in the style of Daniel Marot with an upholstered seat This fine, armchair is an, unusually, large size and the carving is of exceptional quality reflecting the status of the owner it was made for. It is sturdy and in usable condition. Chairs of this type, with tall, intricately carved backs, were placed in rows against a wall forming part of the decoration of a room. The carving of the back of this chair is French in style and was based on decorative prints by Daniël Marot The cresting carved with a profusion of acanthus leaf scrolls. The back with fine, pierced carving. The mid-section with a central flowerhead with scrolled shields above and below ornamented with flowerheads acanthus leaf crestings. Two pairs of carved ‘S’ scrolls ornamented with acanthus leaves either side. The tapering turned sections surmounted by ionic capitals and supporting back of the scroll arms carved with acanthus leaf ornament. The front arms supported by baluster and tapering turned sections ornamented with acanthus leaf carving. The legs joined by a shaped ‘H’ stretcher with central finial, on bun feet. The upholstered seat reupholstered in a bargello woven in tones of blue, green, red and gold faced with braid and brass studwork. The back of the chair has an incredible, 19th century, oak support from the cresting to halfway down the back, which has been beautifully carved to conform with the open sections of the back, and two braces down the length of the back. There are also two oak supports behind seat blocks at the top of the legs. These repairs are sensitive to the model of chair and have become part of its character and features in their own right and they are very interesting from a conservation history perspective. There are two old repairs to a small break in the cresting on the right hand side and the hairline cracks are visible, an old repair to a small break in the top right of the central splat with a small piece added and a visible hairline crack. The right side of the back has noticeable worm damage on the right seat block which is probably the root cause of the break on the block on this side from impact as the chair probably fell backwards at some point and either onto its right side or it hit something on that side and the block weakened by worm gave way as the damage to the chair is localised on the far right side. Because the backs are high on these Daniel Marot chairs they are top heavy and invariably do have damage to the backs and crestings from impact damage so this is not unusual. The right block has been repaired thoroughly and is stable and there is no live worm in the chair. It would be possible to disguise these repairs but I have left them as they are consistent with the 19th century date of the supports and conform with museum standards. A full set of photographs...

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