A set of eight George III giltwood armchairs, together with two later copies circa 1770

each curved oval upholstered backrest within stiff-leaf-carved frame, with curved padded arms and serpentine supports carved with bellflower motif, above a bow-front upholstered seat with fluted rail centering a drapery tablet and enclosed by rosette-carved blocks, on tapering fluted legs terminating in leaf-tip-carved and tapering cylindrical toes.  10 pieces.

supplied to John Parker, 1st Baron Boringdon, Saltram House

by descent to the 4th Earl Morley

Property of Ian Farquhar, Esq.

Sold, Christie's, London, May 25, 1972 lot 81

Geoffrey Beard and Judith Goodison, English Furniture, 1500- 1840, Oxford: Phaidon Christie's Limited, 1987, p. 176, fig. 1 (illustrated)

Overall good condition; regilt; with some chips, losses, and wear to gilding mainly to cresting rails and to handholds; small cracks and chips to gilding over lines of construction of backrests; some old worm damage to seat rails; one chair with a later flowerhead roundel to front side of front left leg; some chips and losses to extremeties; the rails with a later grey wash; the two later copies in good condition with some minor chips, losses, and wear to gilding mainly around edges.
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.

Whilst the present suite of armchairs was commissioned by John Parker, 1st Baron Boringdon, for Saltram House, a known Chippendale commission, they share greater affinities with chairs by John Linnell.  Both Linnell and Chippendale worked with Robert Adam making furniture to his designs, and supplied furniture to fit within his decorative schemes.  The Saltram suite, which Chippendale supplied circa 1771-72, is very different to the present suite of chairs in overall form and use of decorative elements.  For example the armrest supports to the chairs supplied by Chippendale join at the side seat rails behind the front legs, whereas the armrests supports on the present chairs continue into the front legs, which is often a characteristic of Linnell's production, though not exclusive to his work.  Another specific aspect of these chairs relates to a set of armchairs and settees made by John Linnell with a fluted seat rail centered by a similar stepped central panel draped urn, based on a drawing by Linnell, circa 1768-1770, in the Victoria & Albert Museum, is illustrated, M. Tomlin, Catalogue of Adam Period Furniture, London: HMSO, 1982, p. 110-111, cat. No. N/9. A suite of giltwood armchairs after Linnell's drawing are at No. 10 Downing Street, London, one of which was used in the official portrait of the former Prime minister (now Baroness) Margaret Thatcher.

Other similar pairs of chairs with the stepped central panel with draped urn sold Sotheby's, New York, April 9, 2009, lot 50 and almost identical set with the stepped central panel and the distinctive secondary bowed supports rising from the backrest to the armrests sold Sotheby's, London, November 15, 1996, lot 51.  A further armchair which is almost identical to the present chairs is at Temple Newsam House and is illustrated in Christopher Gilbert, Furniture at Temple Newsam House and Lotherton Hall, London: National Art-Collections Fund and the Leeds Art Collections Fund, 1978, vol. I, p. 95, no 84.

John Parker inherited his father's title and estates in 1768 and continued his mother's (Lady Catherine) work of refurbishing Saltram.  After his first wife died prematurely, he remarried Therese Robinson, who brought a dowry of £12,000 to the marriage.  She was the sister of Thomas Robinson later Baron Grantham of Newby Park who influenced Parker greatly.  In 1769, Robert Adam was commissioned to produced new designs for the saloon and the library (later the dining room).  Chippendale supplied the furniture to the saloon between 1771-1772.