A PAIR OF GEORGE III GILTWOOD ARMCHAIRS, CIRCA 1770

Possibly supplied to Philip Yorke, 2nd Earl of Hardwicke for Wimpole Hall, Cambridgeshire, Wrest Park, Bedfordshire or St. James's Square, London
Thence by descent
The Rt. Hon. The Earl of Harwicke
Christie's London, July 6, 1967, lot 64 (a set of six)
Christie's New York, April 7, 2006, lot 326

Regilt. One back rail partially replaced. Corners blocked. Wood worm damage to rails. One back leg with a replaced return; another chipped; another restored. Scattered chips to gesso and rubbing to gilding. One back leg with a large loss (about 4 inches) to gilding. Minor restorations. Sturdy; large seat.
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 unusual and interesting foliate carved square legs make these chairs a unique example of Georgian seat furniture. The foliate carved leg can be partially traced to a drawing by Jean-Charles Delafosse, illustrated in Helena Hayward and Pat Kirkham, William and John Linnell, London: 1980, fig. 78; however Delafosse uses the foliate carving to adorn a straight circular leg, not an outcurving square leg as in our example. This design motif seems to have been picked up by other cabinetmakers and interpreted in multiple fashions such as John Vardy's armchair for the Palm Room, Spencer House illustrated Susan Weber, James "Athenian" Stuart: The Rediscovery of Antiquity, New York: 2006, fig. 10-16.

The foliate leg is seen on a pair of chairs sold Sotheby's London, June 6, 2006, lot 264; however, the present example more fully embraces the Etruscan or Roman style. The outcurving legs move the design away from the Delafosse drawing and the explicitly French style Vardy chair and towards a more simplified Etruscan type.

While it is unclear who designed or made these chairs, their provenance with the Earl of Hardwicke presents some interesting possibilities. Philip Yorke, 2nd Earl of Hardwicke (1720-1790), owned multiple properties including Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire, Wrest Park in Bedfordshire, and a townhouse on St. James's Square, London. Sir William Chambers and Philip Yorke wrote to each other in 1767 and Chambers might have worked at Wrest Park for the Earl of Hardwicke. While it is unclear how far their relationship went, Chambers could have had a hand in designing these chairs.