The Family Collection of the late Countess Mountbatten of Burma
The Family Collection of the late Countess Mountbatten of Burma
A George III serpentine mahogany stool by Thomas Chippendale, 1772
Auction Closed
March 24, 08:41 PM GMT
Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
A George III serpentine mahogany stool by Thomas Chippendale
1772
the padded seat on ring turned fluted tapering legs and lotus carved splayed disc feet, with a printed cotton loose cover by David Hicks
45cm. high, 62.5cm. wide, 41cm. deep
Inventory, 1885, p. 48, possibly one in the 'Park Room';
H. Avray Tipping, ‘Mersham le Hatch’, Country Life, 8 August 1925, photographed in the hall, p. 219;
Inventory, 1926, p. 5, either the one in 'Bow Room', p.14 or the other in the 'Garden Room';
H. Avray Tipping, English Homes, Late Georgian, 1760-1820, London, 1926, in situ, p. 124;
Peter Thornton, The Furnishing of Mersham-le-Hatch, Part II, Apollo, June, 1970, p. 442;
Christopher Gilbert, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale, Vol. I, London, 1978, p.222;
Christopher Hussey, English Country Houses, Mid Georgian 1760-1800, London, 1984, in situ, p.100.
The present stool originally formed part of a set of four which were supplied by Thomas Chippendale on 28th October 1772 - now in partnership with Thomas Haig and trading as Chippendale, Haig & Co - for the Dining Room at Mersham-le-Hatch and are described as '4 neat carv'd mahogany Stools cover'd with fine blue Morrocco Leather and brass Nail'd to Match the Chairs £7 8s 0 d.'
The stools were conceived to match a set of '6 mahogany backstools with carv'd & fluted feet stuff'd and cover'd with blue leather & brass nail'd' supplied five years before on 14 October 1767 for the Ante-Room to the Great-Dining Room. One was sold without provenance, The Neil and Gina Smith Collection, these rooms, 3 July 2019, lot 124.
Two other stools from the suite have been sold previously. One belonging to Major Peter Loyd, Towersey Manor, Oxford (and retaining traces of the original blue leather upholstery) sold Christie's London, 8 February 1973, lot 19 and subsequently Christie's London, 29 March 1984, lot 28. Another, from the Collection of Miss Julia Lowenthal, sold Christie's London, 10 March 2005, lot 110 (£40,800 with premium).
Interestingly, Chippendale employed an almost identical foot on a large suite of green-japanned seat furniture ordered for the Chinese Ante-Room and the State Bedchamber at Nostell Priory in 1771 (Gilbert, op. cit., figs. 168, 169, 360 & 387).