A pair of George III giltwood armchairs circa 1795, attributed to B. Harmer and based on a design by Thomas Sheraton

the rectangular backs with an arched gadrooned top rail and carved uprights, the arms on carved balusters finished with paterae, the front legs of tapering baluster form with flower head capitals

The stamp H M is associated with the furniture of B Harmer, a prolific chair-maker who supplied pieces of fine quality in the period 1790 to 1810. These include the celebrated suite of carved giltwood dolphin seat furniture for the music room at Powderham Castle, attributed to Marsh and Tatham and executed by Harmer, the hall chairs at Petworth and an X-framed mahogany armchair after a design by Thomas Hope in Household Furniture and Interior Decoration, 1807. (see C. Gilbert, ed., Pictorial Dictionary of Marked London Furniture 1700-1840, Leeds, 1996, pp. 258-259, pls 474, 475, 479 and 480).  Another  giltwood armchair forming part of the same set as the present chairs, is illustrated in Gilbert, op. cit.,  p.  257, , fig. 471.

Harmer's record of commissions to leading patrons during this period indicates that he managed an efficient business, often executing to order on a sub-contract basis. 

One of a pair of giltwood armchairs of the same model as the present lot sold Christie's London, 7 October 1993, lot 121. One of these bears the stamp `HM' and the other `B. Harmer' (see C. Gilbert, ed., Pictorial Dictionary of Marked London Furniture 1700-1840, Leeds, 1996, p.257, fig. 471).

The design of the offered armchairs is based on an amalgagam of elements for an engraving of two `Drawing Room Chairs' illustrated in Thomas Sheraton's The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer's Drawing Book, 1793, Appendix, plate VI.