ATTRIBUTED TO JOHN LINNELL, CIRCA 1775

This impressive pair of armchairs relates closely to a suite of seat furniture, comprising chairs and sofas, of circa 1770-1775 attributed to cabinet-maker John Linnell (H. Hayward and P. Kirkham, William and John Linnell, London, 1980, p.44, figs.84-85); including an armchair which is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. The attribution is based on a Linnell drawing of circa 1768-1770 which shares similar features (ibid, p. 43, fig. 83). The chairs' drapery to the tops of the legs directly copy fashionable Louis XVI furniture and appear in the form of ormolu mounts on documented examples of Linnell furniture, notably games tables supplied to both the Duke of Northumberland for Alnwick Castle and Viscount Scarsdale for Kedleston Hall (ibid, pp. 141-143, figs. 279-281). The fluting of the seat rails and bellflower carving is mirrored in the marquetry designs found on Linnell's case furniture of this period. A set of four virtually identical armchairs were sold Phillips, London, 8 October 1996, lot 86. This may be the same set of four that was sold Christie's, London, 6 July 1962, lot 128 (£750 to Spillane). A similar pair of chairs was sold, the Property of a Gentleman, Christie's, London, 10 April 1986, lot 34.
John Linnell (1729-1796) was one of the first English furniture-makers to be educated in design, studying at St. Martin's Lane Academy, founded by William Hogarth in 1735. By the age of 21 Linnell was working as a designer for his father William’s furniture-making business, where one of his first jobs was for Charles Somerset, 4th Duke of Beaufort’s Chinese Bedroom at Badminton House. This commission, some of which is preserved at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, has come to represent an extremely important moment in the history of English furniture design, in particular the influence and incorporation of chinoiserie motifs and materials therein. A pair of chairs from the legendary Badminton commission were sold from the Collection of Anne and Gordon Getty; Christie's, New York, 20 October 2022, lot 21 ($226,800, including premium).Linnell’s high quality furniture was greatly prized in its day and his work was considered amongst the best of British design, rivalling his contemporaries including Thomas Chippendale, John Cobb and the partnership of William Ince and John Mayhew. Many of John Linnell’s designs are also preserved at the Victoria and Albert Museum.