Walnut armchair, turned and carved, with upholstered seat cushion and back.
Identifier
FPF001
Title
Walnut armchair, turned and carved, with upholstered seat cushion and back.
Date
1930, with arms 1630-1660
Description
Walnut armchair, twist-turned and carved, with upholstered seat cushion and back.
Full Description
A walnut armchair in 17th century style, with a twist-turned and carved frame and upholstered seat cushion and back. The arms are the only parts of the chair which date from the 17th century and are Continental. They each terminate in a carved crouching lion clasping a ball between the front paws. The arms are partly upholstered, and the carved ends rest on twist-turned supports which rise from the seat rails. The chair frame has squared back posts with carved tops, also in the form of lions’ heads and paws; the posts are continuous with the back legs, which are twist-turned with squared blocks at the joints with the seat rails and side stretchers. The back and seat are upholstered; the seat has webbing across the frame and a cover cloth, with a thick loose cushion; the upholstery is covered with a modern figured velvet. The front and back legs are twist-turned and joined by H-form stretchers and further stretchers at the front and back, all twist-turned with squared blocks at the joints. The feet are ball-turned.
The chair was made by Frederick Parker & Sons in 1930 using the pair of Continental mid-17th century carved walnut arms. It is in the style of 17th century chairs; for example, it has similarities with a ball-turned state chair at Knole dating to the 1660s (Bowett, 2002), but the fashion for twist-turning came a decade or so later than this, in the 1670s and 1680s, when chairs generally had frames which were less boxy and backs which were more vertical than horizontal. The seat with its deep cushion is designed for comfort in the 20th century.
For a similar chair made by Parker Knoll in 1948, see FPF380.
The chair was made by Frederick Parker & Sons in 1930 using the pair of Continental mid-17th century carved walnut arms. It is in the style of 17th century chairs; for example, it has similarities with a ball-turned state chair at Knole dating to the 1660s (Bowett, 2002), but the fashion for twist-turning came a decade or so later than this, in the 1670s and 1680s, when chairs generally had frames which were less boxy and backs which were more vertical than horizontal. The seat with its deep cushion is designed for comfort in the 20th century.
For a similar chair made by Parker Knoll in 1948, see FPF380.
Condition
The legs and stretchers are distressed to give the appearance of age, and the side stretchers have been flattened to look as if they are worn, although any actual wear on side stretchers would be unusual.
Materials
Walnut.
Upholstery.
Upholstery.
Physical Dimensions
H. 99
W. 71
D. 51
W. 71
D. 51
Parker Numbers
6369
Provenance
Arms purchased by Frederick Parker & Sons for £5.15.0. The chair was made by Frederick Parker & Sons in August 1930.
Notes
Adam Bowett, English Furniture 1660-1714, From Charles II to Queen Anne, Antique Collectors' Club, 2002, p. 70, Pl. 3.3
