Dining chair
probably William Skurray (fl. 1774 - 1794)
Category
Furniture
Date
circa 1794
Materials
Carved mahogany, oak or chestnut, covered in horsehair
Measurements
97.5 x 54.5 x 53 cm
Place of origin
Wakefield
Order this imageCollection
Nostell Priory, West Yorkshire
NT 959777.4
Summary
A chair, one of a set of thirteen mahogany dining chairs, English, circa 1794. Comprising two armchairs and eleven standard chairs; the armchairs NT 959777.1 & .13. This armchair with undulating toprail above a pierced vase-shaped splat, carved with a spray of wheatears and with a fluted collar. With open arms on in-curved arms supports either side of a stuff-over and dished seat upholstered in woven horsehair in red and black. Raised on tapering and moulded front legs and outsplayed rear legs, united by simple side stretchers. Many of the members are moulded.
Full description
'14 Mahogany Chairs Ogee heads Mouldings backs carved hollow seats, cover'd with leather and double naild' costing £21 0s 0d, and '2 Elbow ditto to suit' costing £3 18s 0d are listed on a surviving bill of William Skurray (fl. 1773 - 1794), a cabinet maker of Wakefield, and probably refer to this set of chairs, although the set now numbers only thirteen. The bill is headed Sir Rowd Winn Bart, a reference to Sir Rowland Winn, 6th Baronet (1775 - 1805), so either he or possibly his mother, Sabine Winn (d. 1798), were purchasing furnishings for Nostell. A secretaire cabinet sold by Christie's could be the 'handsome mahogany desk & bookcase with oval panels crossbanded wth sattin wood & gilt handles' mentioned in the same bill. He also supplied '2 Mahogany stools cover'd wth Linen' for £1 8s 0d; 'an Ovil Breakfast table inlaid' for £3 3s 0d; 'a Handsome Mahogany Desk crosbanded & Gilt handles wth patent locks' for £11 0s 0d; and 'a sett of Mahogy Bookshelves' for £1 11s 6d. William Skurray was one of the leading figures in the Wakefield cabinet trade, trading from Northgate by 1774. His partnership with Thomas Summerscales (until 1771 the foreman of Wright & Elwick) was dissolved in 1779. He started trading as an auctioneer in 1780, whilst continuing his cabinet making and upholstery business. In 1790, a partnership with David Glover was dissolved and in September 1794 (only a month after the bill to Nostell) Skurray advertises for sale his stock and timber. This commission to Nostell was one of Skurray's final, and only known, commissions. He continues to trade as an auctioneer after 1794. (Entry adapted to Megan Wheeler, February 2018)
Provenance
Transferred from the Treasury in lieu of tax in 2007.
Makers and roles
probably William Skurray (fl. 1774 - 1794), cabinetmaker probably William Skurray (fl. 1774 - 1794), upholsterer