oak with stamped leather covers on seat and back and brass nails; designed by E.W. Godwin and made by William Watt for Dromore Castle, British 1869.

Open armchair of oak, the front legs turned and linked to the square-section back stiles by turned stretchers, the back stiles with turned sections towards the top and joined by a turned rail and two square-section rails enclosing an upholstered back panel. The arms with rectangular pads on square-section rails, with carved motifs at the front, and supported by rounded stiles. These are linked to the back stiles with a rounded stretcher on either side. Seat, back panel and armrests upholstered in stamped leather.

This armchair is one of a pair of armchairs, designed with sixteen chairs by Godwin for the dining room, at Dromore Castle, Co. Limerick, Ireland. The furniture was part of a very large architectural and interior furnishing commission from the 3rd Earl of Limerick and the specification between the Earl and William Watt, the maker of the furniture, was drawn up by Godwin. The dining chairs were to be made in 'wainscot oak oiled with cushions & backs of fine horsehair covered with common tanned uncoloured leather with stamped pattern in gold' (RIBA MC GOE/1/7/4). All the chairs were sold at the Dromore auction in 1949.

In 1966 the Department of Circulation acquired this armchair and six chairs, originally designed for Dromore, from Mrs. R.C. Mackenzie. Originally only the armchair (Circ.719-1966) and two side chairs (Circ.720 & 721-1966) were given Museum numbers. On 16th February 1966 Hugh Wakefield, Keeper of the Department, explained to the Director that the proposal was to give four of the chairs 'C' numbers (C22567, C22568, C22569 & C22570) and keep them for exchange with other museums, or as gifts to other museums. Only one chair, C22568, was given to the Museum fur Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg (inv. no. 1967.62). The three other chairs with C numbers were lent to Leighton House, London, in 1967, along with Circ.721-1966. They were subsequently given extension numbers to Circ. 721-1966.

This chair is an early example of the 'Aesthetic' style. This decorative style was fashionable in Britain from the late 1860s until the 1890s. Designers used historical styles or motifs from other cultures, particularly Japan, and often amalgamated them. They created pieces that looked very different from the heavily decorated furniture of the preceding decades.

E.W. Godwin was one of the leading designers of the style. The chair was part of the furnishings of a Gothic Revival castle that was built to his designs at Dromore in Ireland. It formed part of a set of two armchairs and sixteen chairs, for use in the dining room.

CIRC.719-1966