18TH CENTURY CHIPPENDALE PERIOD HEAVILY CARVED ANTIQUE MAHOGANY BALL AND CLAW SIDE CHAIR W/ FLORAL NEEDLEPOINT SEAT AND GOTHIC ELEMENTS
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With our highest compliments we're proud to offer for sale this absolutely stunning 18th century Chippendale Mahogany carved side chair with Gothic elements. In 1754 Thomas Chippendale published his "Gentleman and Cabinet-Makers Director" and shortly became a household name. We own a couple of copies in our ever expanding resource library and would recommend the director to any collector. We believe the plates can also be viewed online. Thomas Chippendale drew his inspirations from earlier popular furniture styles such as Baroque, Rococo, Gothic, etc.
This chair is made from Cuban Mahogany, one of the most sought after wood of the era. Mahogany from the Caribbean and west indies features a higher oil density and has a lustrous hue to it you can't replicate with "mahogany" available today. We've studied 18th century ledger books and the only wood to fetch a similar steep sum was Brazilian Rosewood.
This chair stands very stately on 2 finely carved ball and claw feet. The proportions are balanced and finished in a pleasing manner. Moving up the chair there are acanthus carved knees and a wonderful gadrooned edge carved into the seat box. The seat box has a molded top and holds a clean pink floral and vine needlepoint seat signed "GWS" The vertical stiles are incised carved and the splat features a great Gothic themed design. Carved daisies decorate the crest rail and the splat. This is a truly advanced early chair. We note new blocks to support the seat (routine maintenance) and a small repair expertly done along the crest. The chair is 24 1/2" wide x 22" deep x 38" tall. The height at the seat is 18".
