This is a very rare and very superior quality example of a genuine antique English Regency period 1811 - 1820 gilt wood Arm Chair of rare Lyre shape. As the arms are enclosed and upholstered the French would refer to it as a Bergere Chair.

This chair is very special being in the manner of the famous Regency designer Thomas Hope. The original gilding showing a beautiful yellow tone. Sitting on it's original brass castors the chair has been re-upholstered in high quality green wool. The show timber section of the frame is shaped in that of a Lyre with ‘S’ shaped uprights with foliate scrolled hand grips. The lower ‘S’ scrolls are embellished with further carved foliate carved leaves which have a fine layer of gesso beneath the gilt finish.

This design and decorative embellishments are the result of mainly wealthy people being privileged to go on what was known as the grand tour of the antiquities of Greece Italy Egypt and Crete so as to ‘round of their education’. Many of these people came back to England inspired by various design influences that they had witnessed and incorporated them into designs for architecture interior design and furniture etc.

Condition: Excellent commensurate with age and use. The frame is rock solid. There are minor losses to the thin layer of plaster ( gesso ) over the carved frame and to the gilding as to be expected.Currently the chair is covered in an expensive woven wool fabric and has a loose cushion so may beveasily recovered to taste if required.

Size: Width 72cm x Depth 88cm x Height 98cm.

Price $9,985. Sellers Observation: This is an extremely rare chair and this style of chair ( not as good as this one ) can bring double the price in major overseas antique markets where they are understood and appreciated. This chair has an interesting provenance which I can disclose to the buyer but not the public in general.