A brass-mounted ebony-inlaid caned mahogany Fauteuil d`Malade circa 1815, possibly designed by Andrew Darling

the curved top-rail inlaid with a Greek key design and with carved foliage to the ends, the leather arm straps with lion headed supports, with a forward sliding ratcheted foot rest, on sabre legs with lions` paw front feet, together with a framed letter written by J. Price, Head Surgeon of the Civil and Military General Hospital, St. Helena

By repute commissioned by His Majesty's Government for Napoleon Bonaparte at Longwood House in St Helena;
John Price, Surgeon on St. Helena;
Acquired by the present owner, circa 1970

The letter accompanying this chair reads as follows;

I do hereby Attest and Declare that the accompanying large sized, mahogany, cane seated, elbow chair, standing on metal castors, was presented to me as the chair of Napoleon the 1st at St. Helena; and, which Statement, I verily believe to be true. The Elbows of this chair, instead of having been made of wood, are of leatherstraps, upon which are fastened , considerably broader leather pads stuffed like the loose leather covered cusion for the seat; and beneath the latter there is an attachment, with a cane seat, which can be drawn out, when desired, to support the limbs of the person reclining from it.

J. Price M.D.  F.R.C.S. - F.R.G.S

Late Head Surgeon / to the Civil & Military General Hospital, and / Health Oficer to the Port / at (?) St. Helena.

The above Attestation was made, in my presence, / as correct and true.

Dated at the Mansion House, London / the 2nd day of May 1856.

I Sal...(?) Mayor [possibly Sir David Salomons; 1st Baronet 1797–1873 and Lord Mayor of London 1855]

Overall in good un-restored condition. Colour and patination are both good. Caning possibly original. Both leather arm straps in a fragile and with earlier repairs and replacements.. Leather squab a replacement. Brass elements worn and tarnished and the feet with traces of the original gilt lacquer varnish. Old marks, scratches and indentations consistent with age and use.
"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."

There is a group of documented furniture produced for the exiled French Emperor on St Helena much of which is discussed in thorough detail by Martin Levy, Napoleon In Exile, Leeds, 1998. The furniture by George Bullock is perhaps the most well known group but there were other makers producing furniture for Napoleon. Bullock even dispatched two employees to oversee the installation of his work and make repairs, so important was the commission, Andrew Darling and James Paine. The singularly different style of the offered lot when compared to Bullock's work for Longwood, points to one of these other makers.

Levy (op. cit) discusses in depth an armchair that was possibly designed by Darling and produced by Chinese craftsman working on the Island. Also see Martin Levy, Napoleon's fauteuil de malade: a new identification, Apollo, 133 (May 1991), 307-11, Figure 5, pp. 307-311. This chair whilst very different in form shares some characteristics, it incorporates ebony line decoration, is of bold form, was designed by Darling with the Emperors comfort and increasing ill-health in mind and is raised on legs ending in brass castors. Perhaps the offered lot is part of this group, like the armchair discussed by Levy, made on the Island which would explain it's distinctive style and very practical form. Lowe is known to have ordered 'an easy chair' to be made in October 1817, probably the chair discussed by Levy and at the time it was recorded that Napoleon had a 'dull pain under the ribs' and a 'sensation in the right shoulder...', perhaps the unusual leather armrests on the offered lot were incorporated to afford him some relief from this discomfort.