A rare and elegant set of six Regency dining chairs, in the manner of George Bullock.

England, circa 1815.

Why we like them

These superb quality, very stylish dining chairs, having a most unusual feature - turned and reeded back uprights, correspond to a design by George Bullock and relate to seat furniture he supplied for Napoleon's use at New Longwood House at St Helena. It is a particularly fine and rare design, executed in the finest solid mahogany that is beautifully faded to a mellow colour and has a glorious natural patina.

Attribution

The present chairs can be compared with a design recorded in the 'Tracings by Thomas Wilkinson, from the Designs of the late Mr George Bullock 1820' (City Museums ad Art Gallery, Birmingham, M.3.74, p.22). A set of fourteen closely related chairs made to this design and displaying a number of constructional and stylistic elements, typical of George Bullock's output, is at Felbrigg, Norfolk (National Trust inventory 1398464.11).

A set of ten almost identical chairs was sold Christie's London, 23 May 2012, Lot 319 (£18,750).

A comparable set of six chairs which were on the London market in 1994 included two stamped 'J.MOSELEY'. These were possibly by the Moseley family of carvers and gilders who were trading at Briggate, Leeds in 1805 and at Commercial Street in 1811.

Other related chairs with characteristic curved bar top rail and reeded uprights include a set of six sold anonymously Christie's, London, 8 July 1999, lot 22 (£10,350 including premium), and another set of ten sold anonymously Sotheby's, London, 4 June 1999, lot 399 (£16,675 including premium).

Desirable mellow colour and patina.

In 1815 Bullock was famed as being amongst London's 'most tasteful and ingenious artists', (p.5). His furnishings at New Longwood, designed to harmonise with the architecture 'in the pure simplicity of the Grecian style' executed by William Atkinson (d.1839), 'architect for the Ordnance Department', were intended to provide an appropriate residence for the 'Ex-Emperor', whom some likened to Thermistocles, the exiled Athenian statesman and Commander.