Pair of Regency Mahogany Library Armchairs

The rectangular arched padded back above a padded seat and tapering front legs topped with the head of a sphinx and ending in paw feet.

Each upholstered backrest with backscrolled top rail above an upholstered seat flanked by arm rests, raised on ring-turned legs; each stamped JACOB FRERES / RUE MESLEE on back rail, three with old inked inscription M Julien...

The curved pierced back with a palmette-inlaid shaped splat terminating in dolphin supports raised on an upholstered seat, on front carved joined hairy animal legs (pieds de bîches) and hoof feet and back sabre legs; stamped: JACOB FRERES RUE MESLEE under the front rail. For a similar dolphin support, see Madeleine Jarry and Pierre Devinois, Le Siège Français, pp. 267 and 271 illustration 264 for an armchair at the Musée Marmottan stamped G. Jacob and executed in 1792. Provenance: Millicent Rogers her son, Arturo Peralta Ramos II Jacob Frères was the stamp used by brothers Georges II (1768-1803) and Francois-Honore Jacob (1770-1841) from 1796 to 1803. They were sons of Georges Jacob (1739-1814), arguably the best-known chair maker who worked for aristocracy and royalty during the reign of Louis XVI. The Jacob Frères firm's most famous client was Josephine, wife of Napoleon Bonaparte. She would have most likely seen the work of their father during the revolution in a progressive aristocrat's house. She used them to decorate various Imperial residences, such as the Tuileries palace, and remained a loyal customer, using them almost exclusively, until her death. When Georges II (the elder brother) died in 1803, Georges came out of retirement to help the remaining son, Francois-Honoré (who changed his named to Jacob Desmalter) from a new partnership called Jacob Desmalter Et Cie. (stamped Jacob D. R. Meslée, on two lines), which continued to be an influential supplier for the Imperial period and is credited with helping to define the Empire style as it is known today. Millicent Rogers, born Mary Millicent Abigail Rogers, was a Standard Oil heiress, but she wasn’t a poor little rich girl...

Each oval beveled mirror plate within a rope-twist frame, with an apron ending in a bracket, decorated overall with rosettes, foliage, leaf tips and fluting.

An imposing pair of Louis Philippe Fauteuils Constructed in Honduras Mahogany, standing on swept lappeted gentle 'S' shaped legs to the fro...

A Regency Mahogany Library Bergère In the manner of Gillows, with outscrolled back and arms on reeded tapering legs. Height: 103cm, ...

A magnificent pair of George IV library armchairs firmly attributed to Gillows of London and Lancaster Constructed in mahogany: the front legs of addorsed 'C' scrolls, confidently a...

Pair of regency style white paint chairs on brass ball feet. As is upholstery.