Chair
attributed to Chippendale, Haig & Co. (fl. 1771 - 1779)
Category
Furniture
Date
circa 1775
Materials
Satinwood, mahogany, cane, textile
Measurements
94 x 55.5 x 48 cm
Place of origin
London
Order this imageCollection
Stourhead, Wiltshire
NT 731590.5
Summary
One of a set of eight inlaid satinwood and mahogany cane seated 'star back' chairs, attributed to Chippendale, Haig & Co. (fl. 1771 - 1779) London, circa 1775. The back with eight spokes, each inlaid with a leaf and centred by an eagle's head within an oval bowed back frame, the caned seat raised on square section tapered legs headed by flower head paterae. Originally with arms and castors. Later loose seat cushions.
Full description
Originally a set of ten, these chairs were inventoried at Wavendon House, c.1841, in the salon, '10 circular back mahogany chairs inlaid with satinwood, cane bottoms Spanish Leather Cushions'. Again at Wavedon, 1852, in the Dining Room, '10 satin wood and mahogany inlaid chairs with cane seats and cushions in leather' and in 1895, apparently nine chairs. The chairs were brought to Stourhead in 1895 and then eight chairs were documented there in 1908 in the Central Hall 'Eight rosewood inlaid satinwood Sheraton chairs, with wide 22'' seats, caned, with oval perforated leaf shaped octagonal backs, with crest in centre.' Dudley Dodd and Lucy Wood attribute the chairs to the Chippendale workshops in their article for FHS (2011) 'The 'Weeping Women' commode and other orphaned furniture at Stourhead by the Chippendales, senior and Junior. Their attribution is on stylistic and constructional grounds. The design is closely comparable to the painted 'star back' chairs at Paxton, supplied by Chippendale Senior in 1774. The single headed eagle is the Hoare family crest however it is not known which member of the family commissioned the chairs, nor for which house. See: Gilbert, Christopher 'The life and work of Thomas Chippendale' Christie's London 1978 Vol. 1 pp.273-275 & Vol. 2 pg.100 James Weedon (March 2018)
Provenance
Almost certainly made by the Chippendale workshops for the Hoare family, originally a set of ten armchairs. Inventoried at Wavendon House circa 1841. Arrived at Stourhead in 1895. Given to the National Trust along with Stourhead House, its grounds, and the rest of the contents by Sir Henry Hugh Arthur Hoare, 6th Bt (1865 – 1947) in 1946.
Makers and roles
attributed to Chippendale, Haig & Co. (fl. 1771 - 1779), cabinetmaker attributed to Chippendale, Haig & Co. (fl. 1771 - 1779), designer
References
Dodd & Wood 2011, Dudley Dodd & Lucy Wood, 'The Weeping Women commode and other Orphaned Furniture by the Chippendales at Stourhead', in Furniture History XLVII (2011) Gilbert, 1978: Christopher Gilbert. The life and work of Thomas Chippendale. London: Studio Vista: Christie’s, 1978., pp273-275 & 100