A pair of Coalbrookdale painted cast-iron garden benches circa 1870

Estimate

30,000 - 50,000 USD

bidding is closed

Description

The foliage and birds section flanking the medallion stamped JK (almost certainly for J. Kershaw, principal designer for the factory), the back stamped C. B. Dale & Co along with a diamond registration stamp for March 13, 1862, number 149934 and 35.
height 40 1/2 in.; width 66 1/2 in.; depth 27 3/4 in.
103 cm; 169 cm; 70.5 cm

Condition

Repainted, in good restored condition with some old dents, pitting and chips to paint, some very minor areas of rust, wooden slats replaced, one with old repaired break to left side of front metal rail, one with two repaired hairline cracks to the lower left apron.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

Cast iron began to be used for garden furniture during the mid-19th century in England and the innovative and complex designs produced by the Coalbrookdale foundry became highly fashionable. Some of the most popular designs were inspired by garden plants such as the nasturtium, lily of the valley, passion flower, fern, and blackberry.

The original engraving for the present model was first published in the 1875 Coalbrookdale Catalogue as number 35, section III, p. 259, fig. 1. John Powell, the archivist of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum has attributed this drawing to J. Kershaw, who was a principal designer for the Coalbrookdale Foundry in the 1860s. The signed engraving for this pair, dated 1862, is registered in the Public Records Office and is numbered 149934. An example of this model is in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, illustrated, Georg Himmelheber, Cast-iron Furniture, London, 1996, p. 227, pl. 155. A pair of benches with a similar medallion, monogrammed "JK," was sold, Sotheby's, Sussex, May 25, 1994.