English Metamorphic Library Chair with Steps

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...

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...

We are delighted to offer for sale this large and collectable vintage metamorphic armchair which converts into Library steps with leather upholstered steps A good looking well mad...

Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this super rare, Museum quality, one of a kind 19th century Windsor armchair with never seen before table ar...

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

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

A set of Regency mahogany metamorphic library steps, this sturdy armchair unfolds to reveal four leather-inset steps which rest on the cresti...

Antique English Victorian Child's Chair circa 1860. Rather like a high chair so that a child can sit at the dining table - we just love this piece!