A pair of George III mahogany hall chairs, circa 1760

the shell-shaped back and seat above cabriole legs joined by an H-stretcher, the back with painted crest for the Elwes Baronets

An elegant and beautifully carved pair of hall chairs in very good conserved condition. One of the chairs has a restoration of the left of the back, and some minor movement along the lines of construction. The painted crests are vividly rendered. With typical old marks and scratches, commensurate with age and use.
"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 1763 edition of Thomas Chippendale’s  Director includes as plate XXIV three Designs for Garden Seats, number C illustrating an open armchair, its back and seat each being carved in the form of a shell ‘proper for Grottos’.  The present model, with its sgabello inspired back leg might pre-date Chippendale's edition. Several grotto or hall chairs in similar fashion exist, eg., the suite of padouk chairs at St. Giles’s House, Dorset, which might have furnished the grotto built by the fourth Earl of Shaftesbury (1711-1771).

An identical pair of chairs to the present lot was sold by the Earl of Guildford with Christie’s, Lissadel Sale, Co. Sligo, Ireland, 25 November 2003, lot 221, with later painted crest.

The Elwes Baronetcy, of Stoke in the County of Suffolk, was a title in the Baronetage of England created in 1660 for Gervase Elwes, MP for Sudbury and Suffolk. The second Baronet, Sir Hervey Elwes (1683-1763) and his nephew John Elwes, were notable misers, the latter being reputedly the inspiration for Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol character Scrooge. The title became extinct on the death of the fourth Baronet in 1787.