A fine set of six George II style gilt-gesso side chairs late 19th century/early 20th century

each double-arched cresting rail centered by a stylized shell with foliate strapwork above a shield-form splat centered by a panel painted with a putto and mythical beast within foliate strapwork and flanked by scrolled stiles above a needlework-upholstered drop-in seat, the conforming shaped apron centered by an foliate cartouche painted with a mythical beast and raised on cabriole legs with human masks to the knees and ending in paw feet.  The chairs stamped with Roman numerals I-VI.

Sold, Sotheby's, London, June 17 and 24, 1987, lot 334

Overall fair original condition; structurally sound; with extensive rubbing and wear to cresting rails with losses to gilding and gesso throughout; noses of masks with losses and wear; painted panels to splats and aprons in good condition; with minor losses and cracquelure; chips and losses to gilding and gesso around feet; chips and losses to gilding and gesso of scrolled carving of two aprons. Chairs II and III with chip to one leaf tip of shoe; chair IIII with large chip to gesso of stylized shell of cresting rail; chair V with three large chips to gesso of stylized shell of cresting; chip to gesso of splat. Overall with losses and rubbing to gesso; needlework to drop-in seats in stable condition with fading to colors.
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.

The present suite of gilt-gesso chairs belongs to a number of similar gilt-gesso suites of furniture identified as being Italian or English circa 1820-1850, English as circa 1730-1740 and English circa 1900-1910.  Interestingly the present chairs are almost identical to a chair, possibly Italian, in the Lady Lever Art Gallery and illustrated in Lucy Wood, The Upholstered Furniture in the Lady Lever Art Gallery, vol. II, no. 79, pp. 806-815.  Wood discusses the various models and influences on that chair and illustrates various other models.  Perhaps the most well known model, which relates to the present suite, is the famous suite of seat furniture probably from Stow with lion-head masks to the knees and sold back splats.  Now in various private collections, the group, until William Reider published an article titled 'A Gilt Gesso Set of Furniture Traditionally from Stowe', in The Journal of The Furniture History Society, Volume XIV, 1978, had become 'entrenched in the literature as from Stowe and by James Moore' (op. cit. p. 9). Also, it seems that it was originally assumed that the suite as a whole dated from the 18^th century, but it is now clear that the majority of the chairs at least were actually made in the late 19^th century.

A late 19^th century pair from the Stowe suite, was sold in these rooms, October 16, 2008, lot 190.  Curiously, although this pair of chairs seems to be of identical timber and construction and have the same gilding to other chairs in the suite, the carving of the gesso decoration seems to be by a different hand possibly indicating that the chairs were made in the same workshop but at different times. One of these chairs is stamped with the numerals and originally had a stenciled inscription J. HINDLEY & SONS, 134 OXFORD St., LONDON. This firm is recorded in The Dictionary of English Furniture Makers at 154 Oxford Street, circa 1820-1830, although a number of their order and account books preserved in the archives of the City of Westminster are dated from 1766 to 1898. In a late 19^th century advertisement they describe themselves as CABINET-MAKERS, PARQUET MANUFACTURERS, PAINTERS-DECORATORS-UPHOLSTERERS and UNDERTAKERS.

The present chairs, like these Stowe chairs, were probably made in the late 19^th or early 20^th century as they differ from their early 19^th century predecessors in that the carving of the gesso is not as strong and elements, like the female masks to the knees, are recessed into the legs.  The present chairs also relate to a suite of gilt-gesso seat furniture at Beningbrough Hall and a suite at Hever Castle, each with similar feet and female masks to the knees, but with solid carved-gesso splats.  Wood argues that majority of these suites were made in the first half of the 19^th century because their backs and back legs are carved and therefore were meant to be seen in round as opposed to being placed against a wall to be part of the 'parade' furniture, an 18^th century convention.