A pair of George I walnut side chairs circa 1715

the shaped crest rail centered by a foliate stylised fan issuing pierced moulded scrolls above a strapwork carved solid splat, the upright with interlaced strapwork with flower heads and leaves, one drop-in seat with the original upholstery sturcture with the coat of arms of the Lyttelton family, depicting Argent a Chevron between three Escallops Sable, within seatrails with a re-entrant front and rounded front corners decorated with carved foliate sprays and supported on cabriole legs with moulded scrolls and foliate carved knees, the pad feet ornamented with carved leaves

Ralph Edwards &Percy Macquoid, The Dictionary of English Furniture, rev. ed., 1954, vol1, p.255, fig.88;

Nicholas Grindley, The Bended Back Chair, 1990

This pair of chairs is identical to, and probably part of, a suite of chairs formerly at Arley Castle, Worcestershire. The contents of Arley Castle were dispersed by Messrs Farebrother Clark & Lye on the 10th day (of a thirteen day sale) 6-18th December 1852, lots 1644-6. The latter two lots were acquired by Robin Woodhead, Esq. and were sold in these Rooms, 16 November 1990, lot 246 and 5 July 1991, lot 59.

Since the mid-15th century, Arley Castle was the home of the Lyttelton family. It is probable that if the present pair of chairs was made for Arley, then the likely commissioner would have been Sir Thomas Lyttelton, 4th Bart.. Thomas, 2nd Lord Lyttelton, assumed his title and estates before mysteriously dying in 1778. The house consequently defaulted to his only sister, Lucy, who had married Arthur Annesley, the 1st Earl Mountnorris (1744-1816) in 1767, and so Arley came into the possession of this Irish family.