Shakespeare’s Chair
Category
Furniture
Date
circa 1540 - 1580
Materials
Joined oak
Measurements
100 x 59.5 x 41.5 cm
Order this imageCollection
Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire
NT 514449
Summary
A joined oak 'caqueteuse' armchair, English or French, mid 16th century The rectangular back with a panel carved with an arch and towers, angled arms on turned supports, wedge-shaped solid seat with moulded frieze, turned front legs, straight back legs, shaped central stretcher. Reputed to have belonged to Shakespeare. An inscription inserted in the back panel reads: When Garrick was intending to celebrate the memory of his ever to be remembered author Shakespeare in praise of his Superlative genius he heard that Paul Whitehead the poet laureate had a chair in which he Shakespeare sat when he wrote most of his inimitable plays. He requested the favour of me to call upon Whitehead and ask his permission that he Garrick might be indulged with the loan of the said chair on the occasion from which he thought he should be enabled to make his oration with more peculiar animation. I without hesitation undertook the business and waited upon him at his house upon Twickenham Common and addressed him in as mild and modest terms as in my power when he abruptly and absolutely with a considerable degree of ire refused it saying that Garrick was a mountebank and was by no means a fit person to be trusted with so valuable a gem upon which I retired greatly confused and discomfited. Soon after however Mr Whitehead died and his furniture was coming to the hammer to be sold. I asked Mr Ben Bradbury a neighbouring resident to purchase it for me with which he complied made the purchase and afterwards made me a present of it without permitting me to know what amount it was sold and it has ever since been in my possession in the genuine state in which it was bought and shall so remain barring accidents for the residue of my life. J.B. The above initials J.B.stand for John Bacon of Fryern House, Fryern Barnet whose son John Bacon presented the chair to me some thirty five years ago. April 4th 1864. Rev. T.J. Judkin M.A., 49 Euston Square, St. Pancras. This chair was presented to me by my mother in law, Mrs. Judkin widow of Rev. T.J. Judkin, November 13th 1871. Walter Field M.A. F.S.A. Vicar of Godmersham, Kent
Full description
Reputed to have belonged to Shakespeare. The inscription inserted in the back panel reads: When Garrick was intending to celebrate the memory of his ever to be remembered author Shakespeare in praise of his Superlative genius he heard that Paul Whitehead the poet laureate had a chair in which he Shakespeare sat when he wrote most of his inimitable plays. He requested the favour of me to call upon Whitehead and ask his permission that he Garrick might be indulged with the loan of the said chair on the occasion from which he thought he should be enabled to make his oration with more peculiar animation. I without hesitation undertook the business and waited upon him at his house upon Twickenham Common and addressed him in as mild and modest terms as in my power when he abruptly and absolutely with a considerable degree of ire refused it saying that Garrick was a mountebank and was by no means a fit person to be trusted with so valuable a gem upon which I retired greatly confused and discomfited. Soon after however Mr Whitehead died and his furniture was coming to the hammer to be sold. I asked Mr Ben Bradbury a neighbouring resident to purchase it for me with which he complied made the purchase and afterwards made me a present of it without permitting me to know what amount it was sold and it has ever since been in my possession in the genuine state in which it was bought and shall so remain barring accidents for the residue of my life. J.B. The above initials J.B.stand for John Bacon of Fryern House, Fryern Barnet whose son John Bacon presented the chair to me some thirty five years ago. April 4th 1864. Rev. T.J. Judkin M.A., 49 Euston Square, St. Pancras. This chair was presented to me by my mother in law, Mrs. Judkin widow of Rev. T.J. Judkin, November 13th 1871. Walter Field M.A. F.S.A. Vicar of Godmersham, Kent
Provenance
Reputedly owned and used by William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Reputedly owned by Paul Whitehead (1710-1774) who denied David Garrick (1717-1779) possession. John Bacon, Fryern House, Fryern Barnet bought the chair at auction following Whitehead's death and his son, John Bacon, presented the chair to Reverend T.J. Judkin circa 1830 The chair was presented to Walter Field, Vicar of Godmersham by his mother in law November 13th 1871. Bequeathed to the National Trust by Huttleston Rogers Broughton, 1st Lord Fairhaven (1896-1966) with the house and the rest of the contents.