English: third quarter of the 18th century, probably 1750-1765 with later additions. Mahogany.

Mahogany. The back and arms are filled with tracery of gothic design radiating outwards from a central rosette. The top and side rails are carved with scrolls and floral sprays, the seat rails with a gothic fret and the stretchers pierced with a fret design. The legs are carved with a ribbon and flower pattern and the arms terminate in crudely carved eagle heads which radiate outwards.
The chair originally appears to have been plain, the carved ornament added at a later date.

Bequeathed by J.A. Tulk

The chair came to the Museum in 1956 as part of bequest from the estate of J.A Tulk. His collection of furniture, porcelain and other objects was originally viewed by Oliver Brackett in 1929 and at that time was descibed as "inherited from his father, a great friend of Isaac Falcke". That part of the estate that did not come to the Museum was auctioned by Christie's. An inventory of the items received by the Museum identifies the chair as coming from the dining room and descibes it as "a Chippendale mahogany armchair in the Chinese taste, the arched back pierced and carved with trelliswork and rosettes, the sides similarly carved and the waxed toprail with scrolling foliage with eagles head terminations to the arms, the seat frame and moulded square legs carved with mock trelliswork, rosettes and riband ornament, the stretchers pierced and carved with treliiswork fitted with a slip in seat covered in brown leather.

The design of the back and arms is based on plate 15, left-hand side of the Cabinet and Chair-Maker's Real Friend and Companion, by Robert Manwaring published 1765, and described as 'Gothick'. There are also similarities to the design on plate 14, left hand side, of the same publication. Other relevant designs are : plate XXXV, lower left example, of Ince and Mayhew's 'The Universal System of Household Furniture' 1762, described as a 'dressing chair', the 'Gothic' chairs illustrated in plate 15, right hand side, of A Society of Upholsterers 'Genteel Household Furniture in the Present Taste', 2nd Edition c.1765, which may also have been designed by Manwaring, and the middle example in plate XXV of Chippendale's Director, 3rd Edition, 1763.

Very similar examples are illustrated in English Furniture of the Eighteenth Century Vol II by Herbert Cescinsky, published 1909, Figures 236 p230 and 347 & 348 p 313. They are described as in the possession of Messrs Litchfield & Co, and the measurements approximate to W.12-1956.The author dates the illustrated examples to around 1755.

It is likely that this armchair was part of a suite sold by Oetzmann & Co. Ltd in 1912. Oetzmann advertised a set of chairs of a very similar design in The Connoisseur magazine, describing them as ‘a magnificent set of Chippendale Chairs, consisting of 8 small and 2 Arm Chairs, unusually well carved’ and priced at 100 guineas.

Probably made 1750-1765. Manwaring's design for a similar chair was first published in 1765 and the examples illustrated in Herbert Cescinsky's, English Furniture of the Eighteenth Century are dated to around 1755.
W.12-1956 appears originally to have been a plain armchair with the carved ornament to the legs, arms and chair rail added at a later date.

W.12-1956