A pair of George III white painted and parcel-gilt armchairs, attributed to John Linnell, circa 1770,

the square shield shaped padded backs with frames ornamented with over-lapping oak leaves with a tied ribbon bow at the crest, the padded arms with square downswept supports ornamented with overlapping roundels and anthemion supports, the serpentine fronted seat rails fluted, and supported on tapered spiral twisted turned legs headed by circular paterae and with block supports on turned toes

Robert Child, probably supplied for his townhouse, 38 Berkeley Square, London;
Thence by descent at Osterley Park (recorded in the 1970 inventory of Radier Manor as from Osterley Park)

Overall these chairs are in good condition. The painted and gilded decoration is worn and there are losses throughout. There are in particular some losses to paint around the lines of construction with some characteristic shrinkage. All have later blocks on the inside of the back rails providing extra support to back legs. All the rails have cramp cuts. One has a repaired rail to the lower part of the back. They are a very attractive set of chairs. Upholstery worn and faded.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The style and quality of the present set of chairs strongly indicate that they were made by the Berkeley Square cabinet maker John Linnell ( 1729-96). John Linnell was the son of the distinguished cabinet-maker William Linnell ( b. circa 1703-1763), joining his father`s firm in the late 1740s. Prior to joining his father`s firm, he studied French ornament at the St. Martin`s Lane Academy, which had been founded by William Hogarth in 1735. It is obvious that his talent for design which is apparent through his many surviving drawings was a large factor in the rapid expansion of the family firm in 1750s. In 1754 new and larger workshops, together with a dwelling house were opened at the fashionable 28 Berkeley Square. The firm continued to grow and at his father`s death in 1763, he inherited a firm employing some forty or fifty people.

As well as Robert Child, the firm had an extensive clientele including William Drake at Shardeloes, the 1st Duke of Northumberland at Syon Park and Alnwick Castle, the 2nd Earl of Shelburne at Lansdowne House and the 5th Duke of Argyll at Inverary Castle. In all of these cases Linnell was working closely with the fashionable architect Robert Adam and through this influence he developed a strong interest in the increasing fashionable neo-classical designs.

The Linnell commission from Robert Child was to be one of the most important commissions for the firm and included all manner of furniture, including seat furniture, much of which can still be seen at Osterley today.  It was not surprising that Child should turn to Linnell to supply furniture for his houses. In 1767 he had purchased 38 Berkeley Square as his London residence which was of course extremely close to the Linnell workshop and he would therefore be familiar with the firm and its output. Robert Adam had already been engaged to modernise and improve Osterley Park, and subsequently 38 Berkeley Square and having collaborated closely with Linnell on many other projects, would promote Linnell as a very distinguished cabinet maker, as the obvious choice to supply the furnishings. 

In the case of the present chairs, the ribbon-carved oval cartouche backs and downswept arms with entre-lac ornament, the fluted rails, the twist carved legs and in particular the elongated anthemion motif seen on the top of the legs on the front rail are all French and neo-classical features which link them with other furniture known to have been supplied by John Linnell. The ribbon carving seen on the top-rail appears on a chair now in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, attributed to Linnell, illustrated in Helena Hayward and Pat Kirkham, William and John Linnell, Eighteenth Century Furniture Makers, London, 1980, 2 vols, Vol. II,  pl.84 and also in a drawing by Linnell in the collection of the Victoria of the Albert Museum, (ref.e.88-1929) .  The unusual twist carving seen on the legs can also be seen in designs for chairs by him illustrated in Helena Hayward and Pat Kirkham, op. cit., Lond, London, 1980, 2 vols, Vol. II, pl. 75  and pl. 82., now in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, (see illustration).  It can again be seen in Robert Adam`s design for the Eating Room sideboard and flanking urns at Osterley, illustrated P. Ward-Jackson, English Furniture Designs of the Eighteenth Century, London, 1958, pl.233. The twist design also appears in a design by Linnell for a pier table for William Drake at Shardeloes, another well documented Adam/Linnell collaboration, illus. Helena Hayward, op. cit., pl. 213. The form of the anthemion on the top of the leg also relates closely to the anthemion motif on the pelmet designed by Linnell for Shardeloes, illustrated Helena Hayward and Pat Kirkham, op. cit., pl 153.