Master's Chair
1770-1780 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
In the eighteenth century in London there was a great increase in clubs and societies, including Freemasons, Oddfellows and the Bucks. Generally they provided themselves with suitable furniture and equipment to give solemnity to their occasions. This over-sized chair must have been made for the Master of such a society, although it carries no evidence that would help us identify which one. Such a chair allowed the Master to sit higher than other members and brass plate on the inside of the front legs of this chair suggest it was originally fitted with a footrest.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Carved and inlaid mahogany with leather |
| Brief description | Master's chair or ceremonial chair, of mahogany, carved and inlaid, with upholstery of green leather. The chair is over-sized, raised on tall, tapering, fluted legs, the seat square, the back a tall oval with waisted sides. |
| Physical description | Carved and inlaid mahogany master's chair, covered with green leather upholstery. The oval, waisted back is surmounted by a vase and festoons, and is carved on the border with guilloche ornament. On the arms are pads covered with green leather. Below the seat in front is a carved wooden rail with a shell motif inlaid in the centre. The front legs are tapered and fluted with marks for the attachment of a foot-rest. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Historical context | The exaggerated size of this armchair is evidence that it was used by the master or chairman of some company or society. The existence of brass plates inside the front legs suggest that it was originally fitted with a foot rest, which was another common provision for the leader of such a society. |
| Summary | In the eighteenth century in London there was a great increase in clubs and societies, including Freemasons, Oddfellows and the Bucks. Generally they provided themselves with suitable furniture and equipment to give solemnity to their occasions. This over-sized chair must have been made for the Master of such a society, although it carries no evidence that would help us identify which one. Such a chair allowed the Master to sit higher than other members and brass plate on the inside of the front legs of this chair suggest it was originally fitted with a footrest. |
| Bibliographic reference | Tomlin, Maurice, Catalogue of Adam Period Furniture (London, HMSO for the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1972), cat. no. A/7, p. 13. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.10-1923 |
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| Record created | November 23, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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