THE PERCIVAL D. GRIFFITHS SIDE CHAIRS, The chairs: English, circa 1730
The needlework: French, circa 1740
Seat height: 17 ¾ in; 45 cm
Width: 22 ½ in; 57 cm
Depth: 19 ½ in; 49.5 cm
Further images
An extremely fine and highly important pair of early 18th century mahogany side chairs, each having a scrolled cresting above a baluster splat with scrolling volutes with a moulded horseshoe drop-in seat upholstered in brightly coloured French 18th century needlework; on cabriole legs headed by foliate carving centred by lions' masks and suspended husks terminating in hairy paw feet to the front and pad feet to the reverse.
Note: These chairs were once part of a larger set belonging to the celebrated Percival D. Griffiths collection of which a further three can be traced to date.
One is in a private collection, the other two are in the well documented Gerstenfeld collection in Washington, D.C.
Provenance
Collection of George D. Widener;
Collection of Percival D. Griffiths, Sandridgebury ( formed under the guidance of R. W. Symonds), 1921;
Ronald Phillips Ltd, London;
Private collection, London.
Literature
R.W. Symonds, The Present State of Old English Furniture, London 1921, fig. 62;
R. W. Symonds, English Furniture from Charles II to George II, London, 1929, p.117, fig.69, and p. 179, fig. 135;
Percy Macquoid and Ralph Edwards, The Dictionary of English Furniture, revised edition, vol. I, London 1954, p. 259, fig 121;
Jon Gerstenfeld, Masterpieces of English Furniture, London 1998, p. 209, fig 36.
Illustrated:
Ronald Phillips, Antique English Furniture, London 2005, pp. 212/3;
Adam Bowett, Early Georgian Furniture 1715-1740, London 2009, cover illustration and p. 180, pl. 4.74.
