A fine George II walnut armchair circa 1735

the escutcheon-shaped backrest book-veneered in burr walnut and flanked by shepherd's-crook armrests above a drop-in oval seat covered in 18^{th century needlework, the frame stamped with the Roman numeral I, the seat rail veneered in burr walnut and raised on shell-carved cabriole legs ending in claw-and-ball feet.}

Overall good restored condition; nice color; each armrest with an old repaired break at join with backrest; the left handhold with an old plugged repaired break at join with armrest support; the right hand hold with age cracks at join with armrest support; mine age crack to backrest and perishing to varnish at top, repaired breaks to armrests at joins with backrest; some small patches the veneers of the apron especially to the back left side and above the front right leg with areas of inpainting; some patches to the cross-cut molded edge with inpainting; the seat rails reinforced with later curved rails; the blocks to the brackets with some old worm; the block to the front right leg with later paint and wash; the needlework with minor losses and repairs; the seat frame with some old worm and with a small replaced chip; overall with old marks, scratches, scuffs and bruise consistent with age and use, restorations to needlework with minor losses.
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.

This fine escutcheon-backed armchair unusually dates from the mid 1730s, the majority of the surviving examples of this model being dated to the second quarter of the 19^th century. These later examples were almost certainly made by the firm of Gillow of Lancaster and reflect the antiquarian taste that influenced Gillows' designs at that period, a sketch of an almost identical chair being included in their Estimate Sketch Books, p. 3603.  Their design lacks the grace and subtle lines and ornament of the present chair, but do show markedly similar construction, possibly indicating that that Gillow could possibly have been responsible for making the original chair in the 1730s.  A pair of chairs of this model, dating from the 1830s, was formerly in the collection of the well-known collector, Percival Griffiths of Sandridgebury, St. Albans. Made from elm with burr elm, historically these chairs had also been considered to date from the 18^th  century, although modern scholarship has disproved this (See: Sotheby's, London, June 5, 2007, lot 112).