Similar armchairs in situ in the drawing room at Osterley Park, Middlesex, 20 November 1926. Courtesy of Country Life Picture Archive .
THE FREDERICK HOWARD REED ARMCHAIRS, English, circa 1775
Height of seat: 16½ in; 42 cm
Width: 24 in; 61 cm
Depth: 24½ in; 62 cm
Further images
A PAIR OF GEORGE III MAHOGANY ARMCHAIRS BY WILLIAM AND JOHN LINNELL
A set of chairs with virtually identical design and differing only in having fluted seat rails was supplied to Robert Child for Osterley Park, Middlesex.
Linnell supplied much of the furnishing for Osterley, including several sets of chairs, and each set featured a variant of the lyre-back design. Given the similarity of the current set to the Osterley chairs, it is possible that it too was made for Robert Child and was destined for his London residence, 38 Berkeley Square.
Frederic Howard Reed was a furniture collector of some importance. He lived at No. 3 Berkeley House, Hay Hill Berkeley Square. He donated part of his collection to the Victoria & Albert Museum during his lifetime with the intention to bequeath more after his death but must have changed his mind. Interestingly he originally owned eight chairs from this set donating six to the museum and selling this pair to the London trade. Six chairs from the set are currently on loan to Kenwood House.
Provenance
The collection of Frederick Howard Reed, London, England;
Mallett & Son Ltd., London, England;
Private collection, Europe.
Literature
Illustrated:
Maurice Tomlin, Catalogue of Adam Furniture, Victoria & Albert Museum, 1982, p.120,Acquisition No. W.61-1953, N/17.
