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Lot Essay
This pair of bergeres conforms to what Christopher Gilbert has identified as the 'uniform character' of Chippendale's chair designs of the 1770s. Although he never repeated an exact decorative permutation twice, the basic arrangement of elements is common among most provenanced suites of this date. A very similar single bergere sold anonymously Christie's, London, 19 April 2001, lot 278 ($52,875, including premium), both displaying wave arm supports and s shaped seatrail ending in paterae, two common stylisitcal attributes of Chippendale. Similar bergeres displaying a foliate-headed arched crestrail and waved arm supports, were provided for the actor David Garrick's drawing room at the Adelphi, which Robert Adam had designed around 1770 (C. Gilbert, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale, London, 1978, vol. II, p. 98 fig. 160). A related bergere with closely related profile was supplied in 1778 as part of a larger suite for Burton Constable (ibid, vol. II, p. 99, fig.161). A further comparable bergere, one of a pair from a suite was ordered for the Yellow Damask Sitting Room at Harewood House (ibid, vol. II, p. 99, fig.163).
In addition to their stylistic affinities with documented Chippendale furniture, these bergeres have the constructional features that have been identified as characteristic of the workshop, including the cramp-cuts and pegged joints.
In addition to their stylistic affinities with documented Chippendale furniture, these bergeres have the constructional features that have been identified as characteristic of the workshop, including the cramp-cuts and pegged joints.