English Regency Metamorphic Library Step Chair

Distinctive 19th century set of six English Regency bronze mounted walnut dining armchairs or library armchairs. The chairs feature an Arts & Crafts era needlepoint decorated seat wi...

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

English Regency-style (19th Century) hooded mahogany library arm chair with adjustable chaise attachment and leather cushion.

A superb Regency library armchair in rosewood, raised on saber legs with foliate carving to the curve and base of the arms. Original dark green velvet...

This fine late-period chair made circa 1820-1830 rests on large casters in brass and the chair is deep and comfortable. Caned throughout and meant to have a loose cushion and back th...

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...