Attributed to GILLOWS OF LANCASTER & LONDON (worked 1730-1903)

Regency Gillows Buttonned Brown Leather Overscale Library Club Armchair

c. 1820 England

Offered by Peacock's Finest

Sold

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A fine and rare Regency period mahogany library bergere armchair of unusually generous proportions, firmly attributed to Gillows of Lancaster and London,

England, circa 1820

The scrolled and buttoned padded back, within the scrolled arms, over a buttoned loose cushion, upholstered in tobacco leather, with scrolled and reeded lyre-shaped front, forming the seatrail and arm supports, the whole raised on four tapering turned and reeded legs with brass caps and castors. The armchair still retains a pleasingly patinated yet very usable historic traditional upholstery; the mahogany showframe displays equally desirable patina.

Reflecting the Regency and George IV classical style encouraged by the publications of Thomas Hope (1769-1831), George Smith and others, this elegant library fireside armchair has a Grecian lyre-scrolled frame, evoking the poetry-diety Apollo. Related pair of 'bergere' chairs as described in Gillows' 1813 Memorandum were supplied to William Powlett, 2nd Baron Bolton (d. 1850), for Hackwood Park, Hampshire (sold Christie's House Sale, 20-22 April 1998, lot 55, - £84,000). Very rarely armchairs of this pattern have ornamental back legs, as on the present example and the Hackwood Park chairs; usually less sophisticated outswept square-cut supports are used.

Height: 39.5 in / 100 cm
Seat Height: 19.5 in / 49.5 cm
Width: 34.5 in / 87.5 cm
Depth: 36 in / 91.5 cm

Antique condition, historic upholstery, naturally patinated throughout.

Christie's Hackwood Park House Sale, 20-22 April 1998, lot 55

Dimensions