A Fine Early 19thC Italian Giltwood Corner Armchair c.1820

SOLD
Origin: Italian
Period: Early Nineteenth Century
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1800-30
Height: 29.75 inches (at highest point)
Width: 19.75 inches (at seat)
Depth: 19.75 inches (at seat)

The beautiful and profusely carved and gilded corner armchair having a curved top rail centred with a putto head and terminating in lion's heads above two pierced splats of further symmetrical conforming putti and mythical green man beast hybrid masks betwixt three carved pilasters modeled as supporting putti, the frieze further decorated with winged cherubic masks, the whole with a later drop-in seat upholstered in ivory damask standing on well turned supports.

This chair frame has received some very minor repairs during its lifetime, there is no major damage to the frame with one or two old worm holes in the top rail. The gliding has a rather lovely patination and shows patchy wear which makes it very decorative. One could re-gild the whole but this would effectively erase the chairs story thus far. The drop in seat is later, upholstered in ivory foliate damask, and of good quality.

Corner chairs, developed in the early 18th century, are typical of pieces that could save space by nestling easily into a corner. Sometimes called roundabout chairs in their day they were essentially occasional chairs often used in a corner or at a desk or perhaps as smoking or barber’s chairs with men often as the primary users.

Much toil and many an hours graft went into the creation of this piece of furniture. Positively glowing with quality.
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