An Important Pair of George II Mahogany Armchairs with the Original Aubusson Tapestry Covers by Pierre Mage circa 1750

each square upholstered backrest and seats flanked by padded armrest continuting to flower-head carved handholds above downswept supports carved with 'gothic' panels and inwardly scrolled ends, the square chamfered legs with pierced fretwork in the Chinese manner and carved with flowers and leaves terminating in guttae feet and with pierced fretwork brackets and stretchers; the Aubusson tapestry panels worked with flowering foliate strapwork surrounding a central cartouche depicting a cockrel.

From a set of four chairs probably originally commissioned by General the Hon. James Sinclair (1688-1762) or his wife Janet (d. 1766), youngest daughter of Sir David Dalrymple of Hailes, who moved to a house at 60 Greek Street London, after her husband's death

After Janet Sinclair's' death the contents of the house in Greek Street were sold by auction, the four chairs being purchased by her nephew David Dalrymple, 1^st Lord Hailes (1726-92) for Newhailes House, Midlothian, Scotland, and thence by descent at Newhailes until sold by Sir David Dalrymple (d. 1932)

With Frank Partridge & Sons, London, 1928

The Collection of Percy R. Pyne, Esq., New York

The Collection of Mrs. Robert G. Elbert, Long Island and South Carolina

With Frank Partridge, Inc., New York City

The Collection of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr.

Sold Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, The Collection of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., May 6 and 7, 1960, the four chairs being sold as two lots, lot 516 (present chairs), the other pair being sold as lot 517

The four chairs were reunited with Partridge Fine Arts, London, circa 1980s

The Gerstenfeld Collection, Washington D. C.

Sold, Christie's, London, November 27, 2003, lot 60

Mallett, London

Purchased from the above by the present owner

'Loan Exhibition of French and English Art Treasures of the Eighteenth Century,' New York, 1942, no. 471

H. Ceskinsky, The Gentle Art of Faking Furniture, London, 1931, pl. 242, the 'Peacock' chair

L. Weaver, 'Newhailes, Midlothian,' Country Life, September 8, 1917, pp. 228-232

P. Duncan, 'Newhailes, East Lothian,' Country Life, January 29 and February 5, 1987

J. Cornforth, 'Newhailes, East Lothian,' Country Life, November 21 and 28, 1996

I. Gow, Scottish Houses and Gardens, London, 1997, p. 107

John Cornforth, 'How French Style Touched The Georgian Drawing Room,' Country Life, January 6, 2000, pp, 52-55, fig. 9, the 'Crane' chair

J. Cornforth, 'Newhailes, Midlothian,' Country Life, August 22, 2002, p. 65-66

In very good condition; the chairs are sturdy, the tapestry covers are sturdy and in good condition with strong colors; nicely carved and good color and surface overall; good ample proportions. The minor restorations to the chairs mentioned below have been executed well and blend very well with the original color and surface of the mahogany and do not affect the overall appearance. Chair 1 (pheasant) Tapestry cover: good condition and sturdy, some repairs to backrest at corners and to the upper part near flowers; some repairs next to the pheasant with some in-stitching and subsequent slight discoloration to the later threads; the seat with some in-stitching to the rabbit with discoloration to the later threads and with some repairs to front edge of the seat near the border. The structure of the chair solid and sturdy with some replacements including front left bracket, back two brackets and back seat rail. The top edge of the right seat rail reinforced with a later block. Previously with casters, the caster holes now filled. Some small losses and repairs to feet including some to back feet and a small loss to tip of leaf carving above guttae carving of back right foot. The back stretcher possibly replaced. Chair 2 (rooster) Tapestry cover: good condition and sturdy; the backrest with repairs to corners, small area of in-stitching above the rooster with slight discoloration to threads; the body of the rooster with some in-stitching and on either side of it; small repairs to grass beneath rooster; bottom edge of the back rest panel with inscription/monogram M . R . DAVBV20N . MAGE.; armrests with some in-stitching and repairs and with minor losses; the seat with in-stitching to body of the animal; some small repairs and in-stitching to the border mainly to the front edge and around joins with armrest supports. The structure of the chair solid and sturdy and with some replacements including the back and left side seat rails and some brackets, though the back two brackets appear to be original. There are some repairs including some repaired breaks to the guttae feet and to the central H stretcher and to the back stretcher with three small replacements. There are some repairs to the back legs such as thin replaced strips to the inside edge of side and back supports at joins with the side stretcher and back stretcher. Previously with casters, the caster holes now filled. Overall with the usual minor scratches, nicks and bruises consistent with age and use. The carving in good condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Although the maker of the chairs is not known, they are stylistically related to a large suite of furniture made for the 4th Earl of Shaftesbury for St. Giles's House, Dorset.  The square legs of this suite, although solid and ornamented with blind fret, are similarly carved with garlands of flowers and leaves.  Unfortunately, the remaining archives at St. Giles's have only passing references to the furnishings of the house in the mid 18th century, the only cabinet maker of note appears to be William Hallett, although the Earl was a subscriber to Chippendale's Director.  The design of the present chairs is similar to two plates in the first edition of the Director, printed in 1754, namely plate XXII 'Gothick Chairs' and plate XVII 'French Chairs'.

THE TAPESTRY COVERS

Pierre Mage is recorded as working for the Aubusson factory between 1697 and 1747, from workshops in the Rue de la Hachette, Paris.  He came from a family of tapestry weavers, a François Mage being recorded in 1585.  A similar suite of seat covers, but of a slightly later date, is on a set of chairs and sofa in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and depicts Aesop's fables within less elaborate garlands of flowers and lacking the strapwork cartouches.  The animals and birds are possibly derived from the designs of Jean Baptiste Oudry (see Edith Standen, European Post-Medieval Tapestries and Related Hangings in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1985, pp. 626-632).  In 1748, General St. Clare returned from his post as military Envoy in Vienna and it is probable that he bought the tapestries whilst he was in Paris before returning to Britain.  The tapestries were then probably saved for this commission and upholstered onto the chairs by a good Soho firm such as the Bradshaws who were tapestry and furniture makers.  It is interesting to note that  the St. Clare's house at 60 Greek street was very close to the Bradshaw premises at 27 Soho Squre, at the heart of London's tapestry manufacturing centre.

NEWHAILES

Built in about 1686 by the architect James Smith, Newhailes was acquired in 1707 by Sir David Dalrymple, the son of James Dalrymple, the 1st Viscount Stair, who was a renowned judge in the latter half of the 17th century. Ten years after his acquisition, Sir David, a lawyer himself, began an enlargement of the house by erecting a right wing which was to include the library, and at slightly later date the left wing which included reception rooms and bedrooms. Work was continued after his death in 1721 by his son Sir James, and in turn by his son Lord Hailes, a Judge on the Scottish Bench. His library, which Dr. Johnson described as 'the most learned room in England' is the room in which the chairs are shown in situ in 1917. The house remained remarkably untouched throughout the 19th century.  The house was acquired by the Scottish National Trust in the 1990s, and it  has been undertaking a complete restoration of the contents and fabrics of the House since 1997.

It is interesting to note that the other pair of chairs with peacock and crane were in the Collection of Ira and Nancy Koger until sold in these rooms, October 24, 1998, lot 1357.