A PAIR OF REGENCY LIBRARY ARMCHAIRS 

A fine pair of large scale Regency armchairs of beechwood with painted decoration over the woodwork simulating rosewood; the backs with scroll-over top rails and scrolling uprights; the square seats caned and standing on turned front legs; the arms supported by turned uprights and all the woodwork enriched with gilt metal mounts, parts of it replaced, and the chairs standing on brass toes and castors; with upholstered backs, seat cushions and arm pads, covered with yellow-gold damask.
England, circa 1820

Seat height: 14 ½ in (37 cm)
Back height: 37 in (94 cm)
Width: 23 in (58 cm)
Depth: 24 ½ in (62 cm)

When rosewood (Dalbergia) became a valued and fashionable wood for making furniture it was by no means always practical to use it in extensive quantities. There is a significant, and in itself interesting, body of furniture that was made to fit in with libraries, studies and boudoirs, made of other timbers painted to complement theatrically, rather than to deceive. Graining as a decorative form presents a splendid variation of ornamental conceits and can vary enormously from exact imitations to fanciful colours. In this case the paintwork is added relatively lightly over the surface rather than wholly covering the base wood.

CONDITION REPORT ON REQUEST.