Parlour chair

The design of the back of this chair corresponds exactly with a design on plate XIV of the 1762 Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director, but not all copies have this plate. The original drawing is in the V&A (D.696-1906). The chair is from a set of five sold at Christies in 1978 and bought by Pelham Galleries; four were subsequently sold to French & Co., New York and one retained by Pelham Galleries. These are the only chairs known made to this design. One back leg is stamped 1456, perhaps a stock number from a 19th or 20th century dealer or retailer. When the worn red leather seat cover was replaced the remains of an earlier green leather was found, together with a single row of nail holes along the seat rail bottom edge. A label found in the seat stuffing reads ‘Priday, 58 Old Compton Street'. Priday was a wholesale bedding manufacturer listed at 30 Compton Street in a Directory of 1900-01.

This item is owned by The Chippendale Society. Explore the Society’s website and collections by clicking the external link below.