Rare Pair of 19th Century Gillows Walnut and Burr Elm Shepherds Crook Armchairs #2629

An important and rare pair of 19th Century Gillows of Lancaster walnut and burr elm shepherds crook armchairs.

English Circa 1875. 

The cartouche-shaped incurved burr elm, book-match veneered back (also know as escutcheon back) between a pair of shepherds crook arms. The oval drop in seat enclosed by ovolo moulded walnut frieze upholstered in green floral damask, raised on cabriole forelegs legs headed by palmettes and C-scrolls terminating on claw and ball feet with parcel-gilt detail and splay legs to the rear.

The underside bears a label reading ‘Made in England for B Altman & Co. NY” which was a large department store established on the 19th Century in New York whom supplied furniture from around the world. 

One seat rail stamped ‘U2095’ which relates to Gillows numbering system dating the year of making to 1874-1875.

These chair are offered in excellent original untouched condition. They looked to have been paired together possible around the 1900’s as there is the slightest difference in the knuckles on the claw foot between the two as can been seen in the images.

This chair is an important model based on a period 1720’s example from Boyton House, Wiltshire which can be seen illustrated as figure 99, page 142, in Ralf Edwards The Shorter Dictionary of English Furniture. 

This model was successfully copied by Gillow with examples seen in Susan E Stuarts Book Gillows of Lancaster and London 1730-1840 Vol 1 p.232 & page 225. A drawing in the Estimate Sketch Book for 13 June 1827 shows an identical chair described as ‘Old English’, made for Dallam Tower near Milnethorpe, Lancashire.

Please note, these chairs seldom come to market and are very desirable, worthy of any collection, with similar being shown at various high end antique fairs and auctions houses throughout the world.

Seat Height 17 1/4 inches - 44cm