- 326
A pair of George II walnut and upholstered sofas circa 1740
Description
- Walnut, upholstery
- 92cm. high, 173cm. wide, 74cm. deep
Provenance
Mrs. Robert Emmet, sold Sotheby's, London, 27th October 1949, lot 158;
Christie's, London, 13th November 1997, lot 70
Condition
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
Dalmahoy House was built in Midlothian, near Edinburgh, in 1725 for George Dalrymple (d. 1745), a younger son of the Earl of Stair. The house was designed by Scotland’s foremost architect of the time, William Adam (1689–1748). In 1750 the house was sold to James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton and remained in the family until 1935. The 14th Earl also owned Aberdour House in Fife, a 17th century mansion near the medieval fortification Aberdour Castle, which could have been an alternative home from which these sofas came (M. Dean and M. Miers, Scotland’s Endangered Houses, London 1990, p.44).
Thomas Chippendale’s prefatory note to the third edition of The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director, 1762, is testament to the patronage of the 14th Earl of Morton, explaining that the bed illustrated on plate XXXIX ‘has been made for the Earls of Dumfries and Morton’ (C. Gilbert, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale, London, 1978, vol. I, p. 139). Whilst Chippendale’s dealings with the Earl of Morton cannot be traced in any paper work, this reference affirms the quality of the furniture at Dalmahoy House.