Armchair
late 16th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Armchair with panel back, carved crest and shaped trapezoidal seat.
Of pegged tenon and mortice construction, with a single plain, rectangular panel to the back, and the crest integral with the top rail, and the lower back rail flush with the seat. The crest pierced and carved with scrolling leaves and an inverted fan shaped motif in the centre. The arms of dog-leg form, meeting the rear stiles in a bird's mouth joint, and supported on each side by two turnings, the front turnings being a continuation of the front legs. The seat formed by two planks, with a central, circular cut-out (presumably when the chair was adapted as a commode seat) with modern fill. The front legs turned and linked (to each other and to the rectangular rear stiles) by rectangular stretchers forming a trapezoid; with the front and rear stretchers linked by a baluster shaped flat stretcher.
Replacement parts
PL and front rail may be replacement, copying the original pr rail
Side stretchers
Bottom of rear legs
Repair at front of pr arm
Seat with circular commode cut-out seat and modern infill. The seat made of two planks (possibly originally, but this seems unlikely)
The crest may have been repegged, given tear out visible at front.
Nails below the rails on the rear stiles, possibly for a batten to hide the chamber pot?
Axe marks on back panel
Saw marks/toothing plane on inside of rails
Of pegged tenon and mortice construction, with a single plain, rectangular panel to the back, and the crest integral with the top rail, and the lower back rail flush with the seat. The crest pierced and carved with scrolling leaves and an inverted fan shaped motif in the centre. The arms of dog-leg form, meeting the rear stiles in a bird's mouth joint, and supported on each side by two turnings, the front turnings being a continuation of the front legs. The seat formed by two planks, with a central, circular cut-out (presumably when the chair was adapted as a commode seat) with modern fill. The front legs turned and linked (to each other and to the rectangular rear stiles) by rectangular stretchers forming a trapezoid; with the front and rear stretchers linked by a baluster shaped flat stretcher.
Replacement parts
PL and front rail may be replacement, copying the original pr rail
Side stretchers
Bottom of rear legs
Repair at front of pr arm
Seat with circular commode cut-out seat and modern infill. The seat made of two planks (possibly originally, but this seems unlikely)
The crest may have been repegged, given tear out visible at front.
Nails below the rails on the rear stiles, possibly for a batten to hide the chamber pot?
Axe marks on back panel
Saw marks/toothing plane on inside of rails
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | oak, turned and carved |
| Brief description | Oak armchair with a panel back, palmette ornament and floral scrollwork. French, ca. 1540-1560. |
| Physical description | Armchair with panel back, carved crest and shaped trapezoidal seat. Of pegged tenon and mortice construction, with a single plain, rectangular panel to the back, and the crest integral with the top rail, and the lower back rail flush with the seat. The crest pierced and carved with scrolling leaves and an inverted fan shaped motif in the centre. The arms of dog-leg form, meeting the rear stiles in a bird's mouth joint, and supported on each side by two turnings, the front turnings being a continuation of the front legs. The seat formed by two planks, with a central, circular cut-out (presumably when the chair was adapted as a commode seat) with modern fill. The front legs turned and linked (to each other and to the rectangular rear stiles) by rectangular stretchers forming a trapezoid; with the front and rear stretchers linked by a baluster shaped flat stretcher. Replacement parts PL and front rail may be replacement, copying the original pr rail Side stretchers Bottom of rear legs Repair at front of pr arm Seat with circular commode cut-out seat and modern infill. The seat made of two planks (possibly originally, but this seems unlikely) The crest may have been repegged, given tear out visible at front. Nails below the rails on the rear stiles, possibly for a batten to hide the chamber pot? Axe marks on back panel Saw marks/toothing plane on inside of rails |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Bought for £8 from Emile Peyre, and recorded on acquisition as 'wormeaten and portions eaten away. It has been restored.' Item 104 on the typed list of Peyre objects considered for purchase by the V&A. Recorded in room C, a ground floor passageway towards the back of the house by Hungerford Pollen c. On loan to Southampton, 1952 This is a difficult chair to judge, coming from a reputable collector and in much more convincing condition than most surviving chairs purportedly 16th century. A certain number of legitimate repairs (cleverly matched) are apparent. Two discrepancies are: the back panel which appears to have been made from two pieces of wood, a most unlikely method for the 16th century; the poor joints between arms and rear stiles and the discrepancy in wear between these elements. The form of this chair is close to a number of other surviving chairs: notably a walnut example at MdAD (Blanc p.85), and the crest of a chair at Ecouen, 2006 (on loan from Louvre?) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 687-1895 |
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| Record created | March 19, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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