Chair, one of a pair from a larger set made for Kiveton Park, South Yorkshire, the frame black with gilding, the seat and back upholstered in polychrome velvet.

High-backed side chair, the frame painted black over gilded gesso, with upholstered fixed seat and back. The frame is painted black with mouldings and raised, gilded ornaments. Nailed around the seat rails is a carved moulding (with a running pattern of oval, rhombus and leaf), gilded on three sides and plain black on the back. The back of the chair back frame is painted black but otherwise plain. The seat pad and back pad are stuffed to a rounded profile with show covers of raised 'Genoa' velvet in green, red and brown on a cream ground, apparently replaced in the early 20th century.

There is a gap (max 11cm) between the top of the seat and the bottom edge of the back frame. At its top and bottom the arched back panel has a S- and C-scroll outline. The seat rails at the front and sides have a 'valanced' apron, decorated with raised, carved and gilded 'jewel' ornaments. The back legs, which rake backwards below the seat have three mouldings picked out in gilding, and an enlarged foot section which is slightly curved. The carved front legs are of doubled, square-baluster form. They are united to the back legs by a H-form stretcher consisting of four S-scrolls linked by a central, vertical arch with half acorn finial.

Construction
Joined with some pegging, the rails tenoned into the legs, with some nailed mouldings. The rear uprights apparently full-height. The cresting, in two lap-jointed sections, is lap jointed to the back uprights. The gilded framing moulding on the front of the back panel is held by 8 round-headed screws from the back.

Upholstery
Supported on open webbing and base cloth, with stuffing ties visible from underneath. On the back, the reverse has a linen cover (replaced 2001) over a canvas stuffing cover, and what may be its original wool outside back cover. The stuffing is presumed to be horsehair.

Condition
Many losses to the paint and gilding revealing gesso and areas of bare wood. The current black paint has been crudely applied. Four reinforcing corner blocks added under the seat, each held on modern screws. Two trefoil reinforcing splints have been added under the stretcher. joints Metal caps have been added under all four feet.

Given by Baron Philippe de Rothschild

Supplied to the 1st Duke of Leeds, probably for Kiveton Park, South Yorkshire. Made in an unknown London workshop.
Part of a suite comprising chairs, stools and at least one settee; probably the suite recorded in an inventory of Kiveton dated 1727, p. [8], probably in the best/state drawing room on the second floor -- "14 Chairs & 2 Stools frames Black & Gold. Cover'd wth flowred Velvt. trim'd wth guilt Mouldings and Serge Cases. / 1 Large Seat Ditto".
A photocopy of this inventory is in FTF Information Section (Kiveton file), made from the original lent by D. M. D. Thacker of 8 Brecon Road, Abergavenny, in 1968; unfortunately the name of the room in question is cropped at the top of the photocopied page. But the room comes after the Great Dining Room, and before the Great Bedchamber, Best Dressing Room and Best Closet. The next apartment comprised a drawing room, bedchamber, dressing room and closet; and others a drawing room, bedchamber and closet.

The suite, comprising a settee, single chairs and stools, was advertised for sale by W. Waddingham of London and Harrogate in Apollo Magazine, vol. LXXVIII, no. 22 (December 1963)

Chair, one of two gifted by Baron Phillipe de Rothschild, English late 17th C. caned and gilt from Hornby Castle

Notes from R.P. 64/1523

26 May 1964 memo to the Director by Delves Molesworth
reports that Baron Phillipe de Rothschild is purchasing the Hornby suite for his museum at Mouton. Rothschild offers 2 chairs from the suite to the V & A.

The Hornby Suite is well documented in the RP. The file contains quotes from:
Country Life, Vol. XX, July 14 1906 p.54-64

Macquoid, Plate VI, ref. p.72

Dictionary of English Furniture, 1954, page 75

In English Homes, Vol. II, 1907, page 94

Object Type
This chair is from a set of eight chairs, two stools and a settee. Suites of seat furniture such as this were sometimes used to furnish state bedchambers. They were luxurious furnishings intended to show wealth and status. The high back with an arched cresting was fashionable in the 1690s, and showed off luxurious fabrics well.

Places
The first record we have of the chairs is in 1906, in an article in the magazine Country Life on Hornby Castle, Yorkshire. However, the chair was probably made for another house, Kiveton Park, which was built by the 1st Duke of Leeds, Sir Thomas Osborne, in 1697-1705. The 5th Duke of Leeds, Francis Godolphin Osborne, married the heiress of Hornby Castle in 1773, and the chair might have been moved from Kiveton Park to Hornby Castle after this date.

Materials & Making
The present covers are replacements. The original upholstery fabric was probably the same as that seen on photographs of the matching settee taken in 1906, which had Genoa velvet in red, blue and black on a brown background. The gilt frame to the back is an unusual feature, which hides the edges of the upholstery. The surface finish on the chair frame is not original.

W.11-1964