Sofa
William Freeman (1784 - 1877)
Category
Furniture
Date
1825 - 1835
Materials
Gilt beech, textile, brass castors
Measurements
90 x 241.5 x 85 cm
Place of origin
Norwich
Order this imageCollection
Felbrigg, Norfolk
NT 1398410
Summary
A gilt beech settee, English, circa 1830, by William Freeman, Norwich Upholstered in a cerise silk damask with gold braid edging. With a straight back rail and scrolled arms faced by floral carved and gesso decoration. The moulded seat rail on turned lappet carved legs and brass cap castors Bearing a pencil signature to the seat frame 'William Freeman, carver' William Freeman (1784-1877) is recorded on pp 321 of the ‘Dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660-1840’, published by the Furniture History Society, as being made a freeman of Norwich on 24 February 1811, and licensed as a cabinet maker. Pieces of his furniture, stenciled with his name, are noted. The business charged for picture frames for Holkham Hall, Norfolk, in 1808 and 1817 and for gilding work, 1821-8, 1830-7 (Stabler 2006 pp.141, 143). William Freeman was also Sheriff of Norwich in 1842 and Mayor in 1843. In the 1851 census he was recorded as a magistrate, formerly a carver and gilder and upholsterer, age 66, born in London, living in Earlham Road, Heigham, Norwich.
Provenance
Part of the Windham Collection. The hall and contents were bequeathed to the National Trust in 1969 by Robert Wyndham Ketton-Cremer (1906-1969)
Makers and roles
William Freeman (1784 - 1877), furniture designer and maker