Armchair
ca. 1909 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This armchair is one of a set of twelve designed by the architect and designer Charles Francis Annesley Voysey (1857-1941). The chairs were made in about 1909 for the offices of the Essex and Suffolk Equitable Insurance Company which were then located in Capel House, 54-60 New Broad Street, London. The initials of the firm are decoratively arranged within a circle on the leather upholstery on the front of the chair back.
The chair's tall back with uprights extending above the top rail is typical of chair designs by Voysey. Also typical is the use of subtle curves, such as those found on the front seat rail and top rail of the back. The overall simplicity of the chair's form reflects the pared-down nature of Voysey's designs, a principle he applied to all disciplines including his architectural work.
The chair's tall back with uprights extending above the top rail is typical of chair designs by Voysey. Also typical is the use of subtle curves, such as those found on the front seat rail and top rail of the back. The overall simplicity of the chair's form reflects the pared-down nature of Voysey's designs, a principle he applied to all disciplines including his architectural work.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Oak with leather upholstery |
| Brief description | Armchair, British, 1909, designed by C.F.A. Voysey |
| Physical description | The four legs are rectangles, trimmed at the corners so that the feet are irregular octagons. The seat rails are rectangular on the outside apart from that in front which is shaped in a shallow double curve The seat is upholstered in leather fastened by a thickly packed row of round head nails, it is sprung and rises to a low mound in the centre. The armrests are thin at the back but curve outwards towards the front. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | E & S I (Leather stamped with monogram (Essex and Suffolk Equitable Insurance).) |
| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given by Messrs. Chase, Henderson and Tennant |
| Summary | This armchair is one of a set of twelve designed by the architect and designer Charles Francis Annesley Voysey (1857-1941). The chairs were made in about 1909 for the offices of the Essex and Suffolk Equitable Insurance Company which were then located in Capel House, 54-60 New Broad Street, London. The initials of the firm are decoratively arranged within a circle on the leather upholstery on the front of the chair back. The chair's tall back with uprights extending above the top rail is typical of chair designs by Voysey. Also typical is the use of subtle curves, such as those found on the front seat rail and top rail of the back. The overall simplicity of the chair's form reflects the pared-down nature of Voysey's designs, a principle he applied to all disciplines including his architectural work. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | CIRC.517-1954 |
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| Record created | November 18, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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