A French Gothic carved oak throne armchair late 15th/early 16th century

with gothic arched carved panels and a hinged seat

In very good original, conserved condition. Old minor chips and losses to the carving commensurate with age and use. Beautiful detail to the carving.
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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."

Comparative Literature:
Jacqueline Boccador, Le Mobilier Français du Moyen Age à la Renaissance, St.-Rémy-en-l'Eau, 1988, pp. 41-46. 
E. Viollet-le-Duc, Dictionnaire raisonné du mobilier, Vol. I, Bayeux, 2003, p. 25,  fig. 13, illustrates a print for a related throne armchair in the collection of Prince Soltykoff, dating from the end of the 15th  century.

Furniture in Gothic times reflected the social status of its owner and this type of throne armchair developed from the Gothic models carved with tracery with very high backs into the Renaissance type.  The seat and the interior of the armrests are very plain as normally they were obscured by cushions and textiles. 

This type of throne armchair conveyed the exalted status of the sitter as the general population normally sat on low joint stools or simple chairs. These high backed chairs, a seat of honour, were difficult to move due to their weight and were frequently placed near the bed as can be seen in numerous contemporary engravings. The back of these armchairs were always rough hewn as they were never intended for use as a centrepiece and were always placed against a wall.

Boccador, op. cit., pp. 44, 45 and 46, illustrates various examples of these throne armchairs with tracery and describes most  of them as originating in the Loire region.  A throne armchair with the coat-of-arms on the back of Charles VIII, is illustrated by Boccador, op. cit., p. 41, fig. 33, and it is conceivable that the shield-shaped reserves on the offered piece, formerly contained a coat-of arms.