A highly impressive early 17th century yew-wood turner's chair, English or Welsh, circa 1600 - 40


Of triangular three-post form, with all parts turned on a lathe and mainly ribbed, the rails around the boarded seat jointed into substantial front supports with tulip-head terminals, each stamped five times with the initials 'H T', a considerable proportion of the original back rings and overall applied buttons (some ebonised) remain in place, further decoration provided in the form of punched crosses, 72.5cm wide x 66cm deep x 122cm high, (28 1/2in wide x 25 1/2in deep x 48in high)
|Provenance:The Syd Levethan CollectionSold Christie's, 'Syd Levethan: The Longridge Collection', London, 10 June 2010, Lot 1040The renowned 'Holyoke Chair' or 'President's Chair', used at Harvard University graduation ceremonies since 1770, is similar in design to this 'throne'-like chair, Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum [Museum No. 979.1933]. A 19th century turner's chair in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, [Museum No. W.24-1913], copies a period example at the Bishop's Palace, Wells, Somerset, which also relates to this Lot. The chair is illustrated in Ralph Edwards, The Dictionary of English Furniture (1986), Vol. I. p. 229, fig. 15. Another comparable chair found at Lanmaes House, Llantwit Major, Glamorgan, and now in the National Museum of Wales Collection, St. Fagans [Museum No. 1-2012], is illustrated Richard Bebb, Welsh Furniture 1250-1950 (2007), Vol. I, p. 140, pl. 219. For further examples see Victor Chinnery, Oak Furniture: The British Tradition (2016), pp. 65 - 74, and Tobias Jellinek, Early British Chairs and Seats 1500 to 1700 (2009) pp. 164 - 169, although few of the illustrated chairs appear to display the visual impact of this outstanding example.