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Not currently on display at the V&A

Armchair

1892-1904 (made)
Artist/Maker
Starkey, John (made)
Place of origin
Warwick (made)

Turned oak chair, top-rail incised with geometric patterns and the turned arms on triangular seats, the circular legs joined by stretchers.


Object details

Category
Furniture
Object type
Armchair
Materials and techniques
Oak
Turning
Brief description
made by John Starkey, English, 1892-1904. reproduction of the "Old Saxon Chair" in Lord Leycester's Hospital, Warwick, oak, turned.
Physical description
Turned oak chair, top-rail incised with geometric patterns and the turned arms on triangular seats, the circular legs joined by stretchers.
Dimensions
  • Whole height: 86.5cm (Note: Measurements taken from object by Max Donnelly.)
  • Whole width: 62.5cm (approx) (Note: Measurements taken from object by Max Donnelly.)
  • Whole depth: 51cm (approx) (Note: Measurements taken from object by Max Donnelly.)
Dimensions converted from inch measurement given on object record filed in 1997/690.
Marks and inscriptions
John Starkey / Cabinet Maker, Upholsterer, & Dealer in / Antique Furniture. / 60 & 62, Smith Street, Warwick. / Sole Maker, Authorized by the Master and Brethren of Earl of / Leycester's Hospital, of / 'Copies of the Old Szxon Chair,' / which is there exhibit(ed) (Label; underside of seat)
Gallery label
  • TRIANGULAR CHAIR ENGLISH: 1892-1904 Made by John Starkey Oak Anonymous Loan This is a reproduction of the celebrated seventeenth century turned chair at Lord Leycester's Hospital in Warwick. Many of these were sold as 'The Old Saxon Chair' by John Starkey, a Warwick cabinet-maker and antique dealer. This example bears the label he used from 1892-1904.(1993)
  • Turned chair Oak: English; 1892-1904 As can be seen from the illustration of the label under this chair, it is a copy of the famous chair at Lord Leycester's Hospital, Warwick. An illustration of the original chair is also displayed here: it probably dates from the early 16th century. So great was the interest of the Victorian public and collectors in Tudor and Elizabethan, that a large number of reproductions of early pieces of furniture were made during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It is possible that some of these very high quality reproductions might be mistaken for original pieces of early furniture. For this reason it is particularly useful for this Museum to have labelled and documented examples of these reproductions. The originals can thus be directly compared with the reproductions and the differences noted.
Credit line
Accepted in lieu of Inheritance Tax by H M Government from the estate of Beatrix Cooper and allocated to the V&A, 2021
Object history
Reproduction of turned chair at Lord Leycester's Hospital in Warwick sold as 'The Old Saxon Chair' by John Starkey.
Collection
Furniture and Woodwork Collection
Accession number
W.12-2021

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Record createdJuly 26, 2001
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O61481/armchair-starkey-john/
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