An Italian carved beechwood folding chair, Tuscan 15th/16th century

with a yoke-shaped back carved with a roundel enclosing a patera, above a pierced back and rectangular seat on slatted supports, the back incised with the letters 'A.C'

Old minor marks, chips and scratches. Joints sound and sturdy. Some minor losses to a couple of the splats in the seat section. In overall good 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."

Comparative Literature:
W.Odom, A History of Italian Furniture from the Fourteenth to the early Nineteenth Centuries, Vol I, New York, 1966, p.36, fig. 34, for a very similar chair in the Davanzati Palace, Florence.
Frida Schottmüller, Wohnungskultur und Möbel der Italienischen Renaissance, Stuttgart, 1921, p. 174, fig. 394.
Mario Tinti, Il Mobilio Fiorentino, Milan-Rome, plate CCLXXIX.

This feature of having a folding chair which can be easily stored away is typical of the 15th and 16th century. A very similar folding chair with yoke shaped back carved with a roundel was in the Volpi collection and is illustrated by Tinti, op. cit., plate CCLXXVIII. Two other chairs are illustrated by Tinti, op. cit., plate CCLXXIX. A further related example was in the collection of Graf Hans Wilczek, see Ancienne Collection Graf Hans Wilczek, no. 81 (part VI), Vienna, Austrian Museum of Art and Industry.
Two related chairs were sold from the Château de Cornillon, Loire, France, in these Rooms, 31st October 2006, lot 16.