Antique Arts & Crafts Metamorphic Library Steps William Morris Carpet Upholstery

We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely antique Arts & Crafts Victorian metamorphic library steps chair in oak with period uphol...

We are delighted to offer for sale this large and collectable fully restored Regency circa 1810-1820 metamorphic armchair which converts into Library steps attributed to Gillows of Lancaster and London 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 is all new, it is Italian cattle hide, upholstered plain then 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 an important and extremely expensive looking thing that commands attention in any setting. You can see the same model made by Gillows currently 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...

Rush-seated armchair in turned, ebonised wood frame and rush seat. In lovely original condition, the ebonised frame rubbed back to reveal the richly patinated wooden frame. Retains ...

Charles Robert Ashbee (attributed) for the Guild of Handicraft. An oak ladder back armchair with a professionally re-rushed seat. Seat Height: 43 cm Arm Height: 68 cm