A Very Good Pair of Charles II Oak Spindle Back Chairs c.1680
SOLD
Origin: English
Period: Charles II
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1680
Height: 40 inches
Width: 19.5 inches
Depth: 17.5 inches
The seventeenth century oak joined spindle-back side chairs of good colour each with all parts precisely elongated-ball and ring-turned, with panelled seats, and unusually, a mid-stretcher to all sides, together with a more conventional low H-form stretcher, surviving from Charles II period England.
The chairs are structurally sound and stable, both with some surface wear with a good amount of encrusted patination to the inner turnings, the wholes of a pleasing colour. There are small losses and wear in accordance with age and use to each. The first chair has some loss to its right hand finial and the central back spindle has been replaced, very well, at some stage. There are minor splits and small losses to the block ends of the turnings. The second chair again has just some minor losses and natural splits to the block ends of some of the turnings. Overall for their age they would be described as good to very good.
Following the austere years of Puritan rule, the return of the Charles II from exile in Europe heralded a period of great luxury. On his return the King set about creating a court as dazzling as those of his Continental counterparts and as such the country was opened to Dutch and French influence with many highly-skilled furniture makers settling in England. Furniture remained heavy but with more carving and fine detail became fashionable, notably in the sculpture of Grinling Gibbons. Locally-grown oak was the basic wood for country pieces and carcasses but, by the end of the century, case furniture was often veneered with English walnut or walnut imported from France or Virginia.
Very sculptural, timeless, historically weighty and wonderfully made chairs that act more as artwork just about anywhere you place them.
Period: Charles II
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1680
Height: 40 inches
Width: 19.5 inches
Depth: 17.5 inches
The seventeenth century oak joined spindle-back side chairs of good colour each with all parts precisely elongated-ball and ring-turned, with panelled seats, and unusually, a mid-stretcher to all sides, together with a more conventional low H-form stretcher, surviving from Charles II period England.
The chairs are structurally sound and stable, both with some surface wear with a good amount of encrusted patination to the inner turnings, the wholes of a pleasing colour. There are small losses and wear in accordance with age and use to each. The first chair has some loss to its right hand finial and the central back spindle has been replaced, very well, at some stage. There are minor splits and small losses to the block ends of the turnings. The second chair again has just some minor losses and natural splits to the block ends of some of the turnings. Overall for their age they would be described as good to very good.
Following the austere years of Puritan rule, the return of the Charles II from exile in Europe heralded a period of great luxury. On his return the King set about creating a court as dazzling as those of his Continental counterparts and as such the country was opened to Dutch and French influence with many highly-skilled furniture makers settling in England. Furniture remained heavy but with more carving and fine detail became fashionable, notably in the sculpture of Grinling Gibbons. Locally-grown oak was the basic wood for country pieces and carcasses but, by the end of the century, case furniture was often veneered with English walnut or walnut imported from France or Virginia.
Very sculptural, timeless, historically weighty and wonderfully made chairs that act more as artwork just about anywhere you place them.