English Mahogany Metamorphic Library Armchair

A good English George II period walnut wing armchair with cushion, upholstered in gros and petit needlepoint material, the chair dating from the early part of the 18th century. The n...

A rare and charming French Charles X period mahogany child's armchair, the carved triangular crest rail above downswept arms with acanthus leaf details, all resting on curved legs. Now upholstered in a vintage green...

A Louis XV style oak armchair of typical form, the apron with a central shell decoration resting on cabriole legs with scroll feet. Upholstered in a floral polished cotton fabric in ...

A pretty late 18th century English satinwood Adam style open armchair decorated overall with bellflowers, the square back centered by a further decorate...

An interesting early 19th century mechanical bellows made of mahogany and brass resting on a bronze or brass stand. This unusual piece has a wonderf...

An English mahogany one piece bookcase, the molded crown above double astragal glazed doors with adjustable shelves over a pair of crotch mahogany panelled doors. The whole rests on ...

Antique metamorphic mahogany library chair, English Regency circa 1810, after a patented design by Morgan and Sanders, Catherine St, London - a cha...

Early 19th century William IV mahogany library armchair. This classic armchair features a deep-buttoned rectangular back, which has been re-upholstered in antique linen. With lovel...

This chair converts to a stepladder for accessing your library books or to use a display area.      

We are delighted to offer this very large and collectable fully restored Regency circa 1810-1820 metamorphic armchair which converts into Library steps after the original 18th century design by Gillows of Lancaster. This wonderful piece of English history has been on a journey of restoration, the frame has been washed back and French polished by a Victorian trained polisher, the leather upholstery has been stripped back, hand dyed six times, antiqued and sealed, it has a lovely rich reddish brown colour to it. This chair is larger than any other of its type you would have seen, it is a important and extremely expensive looking thing that commands attention in any setting. The original made by Gillows can currently be 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...

A William Kent design gilded wood library armchair with tapering square legs, acanthus and shell carvings, vitruvian scroll rails and swept arms with...

A 20th century Regency style large metamorphic library chair with scroll arms and sabre legs, converting to library steps.