A pair of early George III mahogany side chairs circa 1760, attributed to William Vile and John Cobb

the arched padded backs and serpentine seats with shaped seat-rails centered to the front and sides by foliate clasps on acanthus headed cabriole legs with scrolled feet

Commissioned by Sir George Lyttelton, 5th Bt., and 1st Baron Lyttelton of Frankley (d. 1773) for the Saloon, Hagley Hall, Worcestershire and by descent at Hagley Hall.

'Hagley Park, Worcestershire, The Seat of Viscount Cobham', Country Life, 16 October 1915, p. 521.

H.A. Tipping, 'The Passing of the Lyttelton Home', Country Life, 2 January 1926, p.28, fig. 2.

O. Brackett, Thomas Chippendale, A Study of His Life and Influence, London, pl. XVII.

C. Hussey, English Country Houses, Early Georgian, 1715-1760, 1955, p. 198, fig. 353.

Overall in an exceptionally good untouched condition. The upholstery dirty and in need of replacement. The frames with rich dry surface and very crisply carved with some old polish residue. The underside of the frames with later corner brackets. One chair with chipped loss of projecting scroll to inside of rear right foot. Minor other old marks, scratches and chips consistent with age and use. For further information on this Lot, please contact the English Furniture Department on 00 44 (0) 207 293-5470.
"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."

These elegant side chairs or 'Back stool chairs' originally part of a larger group, can be attributed to the celebrated partnership of William Vile and John Cobb based upon a suite supplied to John Damer for Came House, Dorset.  The accounts of Came House cover the years 1756-1762 though the year 1761 is of most interest as the records show the following items that were entered on 13th July;

'For 10 good mahogy. Back stool chairs with carv'd feet, stuft and covered with damask and finished compleat with Burnish Nails    £23'.

The account continues to list a 'French armchair' and a 'good mahogy. sopha' both of which are illustrated along with a matching writing-table in Arthur Oswald, 'Came House, Dorset - II', Country Life, 27 February 1954, p. 573, figs. 7-9. The frames of this group of seat furniture and indeed the writing-table display a similarly conceived apron with the chanelled decoration and the elegant cabriole leg with acanthus to the knee and scrolled foot. This attribution can be further supported on the basis of a mahogany cupboard, attributed to William Vile which displays a very similarly carved apron and illustrated in R. Edwards, 'Attributions to William Vile', Country Life, 7 October 1954, p.1155, fig. 4.

The current group would have been supplied to furnish the Saloon of the Palladian Villa of Sir George Lyttelton in the 1760's and appear in an early Country Life interior photograph of 1915, reproduced here where thay are alongside one of the the similarly conceived tables, also attributed to Vile and Cobb and sold Christie's London, 14 June 2001, lot 50.

A pair of chairs from the Hagley group were sold, The Property of The Viscount Cobham, Christie's London, 14 June 2001, lot 51, £78,550.