An Elizabethan carved oak and inlaid panel back armchair circa 1600

the arcaded cresting rail above a bog oak and holly foliate inlaid panel and arcaded lower rail, one upright branded 'IB', the down swept shaped arms on baluster turned supports surmounted by square blocks and turned knop surmounts, the boarded seat above fluted seat rails and scroll apron, the baluster turned and acanthus carved legs surmounted by 'Tudor Rose' motifs, the square feet joined by peripheral stretchers, the reverse of the chair with carving to the cresting and conforming fluting to the lower back rail

Illustrated Tobias Jellinek, Early British Chairs and Seats from 1500 to 1700, Woodbridge, Forthcoming (2009), pl. 86.

This chair, despite its great age and with hundreds of years of wear, still reflects that it was a piece of great quality and would have been a highly regarded commission. Old loss to cresting to surmount detail and some old apertures with filler on top rim of cresting rail from former applied details. Splits in back panel with losses to inlay and losses to applied moulding. Fragmenting to lower rail of back. Fragmenting with pronounced indents and chips to the arms. The right arm support with fragmenting. The seat with splits, separation and partial replacement to rear. Some chipping and losses on seat rail apron scroll. Fragmenting on front legs. Rear of chair shows repair on cresting rail with some later moulding. Partial splits in uprights. Fragmenting on rear feet. A very rare piece of good quality with a fine patination consistent with its great age.
"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."

This chair would appear to be part of a group of seat furniture identified by Victor Chinnery. The geographical origin of these chairs is unknown. These rare chairs, asides from featuring inlay to the back panel, also have arm supports which issue high from the uprights and are tenoned into the terminal blocks which are then surmounted by finials. See Victor Chinnery, Oak Furniture, The British Tradition, Woodbridge, 1979, figs. 3:54, 3:55, 3:56 and 3:57. For further comparison see an armchair offered Oak and Country Furniture, Christie's South Kensington, 1st May 1996, lot 303.

The use of inlay and finely carved detail would point to this chair being a costly commission for the hall of a family of high status.