Attributed to the circle of or workshop of Thomas Chippendale,
Mid 18th century. An elegantly shaped mahogany chair with a dark finish, carved with flowers and rocaille, with a shield-shaped back, partly pierced and lavishly carved. With restored upholstery. In restored condition. (DOC)

The present model may well come from the extensive repertoire of the famous English cabinet maker - the similarity of execution coincides very closely with Thomas Chippendale’s numerous chair designs. In 1754 Thomas Chippendale (1718 - 1779) published a catalogue of furniture designs under the title ”The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker’s Director”. The designs are considered representative of furniture fashion for the well-to-do members of English society of the time. With this furniture he catered to the taste of the said buyers and the catalogue was republished twice. The company not only produced furniture in what is known today as the Chippendale style, but also offered their clients interior decoration and colour schemes. A fire, which destroyed the workshop in 1755, revealed the scale of the company. In addition to the stock, the work tools of 22 cabinet makers were lost to the fire. Thanks to the distribution of the publication, furniture in the “Chippendale” style, was produced in Dublin as well as Philadelphia, Lisbon, Copenhagen and Hamburg. Catherine II and Louis XVI owned the French edition of the "Director". From the mid-19th century, his designs became increasingly popular, leading to the term “Chippendale” style. Dealers distinguished between “Chinese Chippendale”, “Gothic Chippendale”, and “Irish Chippendale”.
Lit.:
Thomas Chippendale: The Gentleman and Cabinet- maker’s Director, plate XII, “New pattern - chair” 1754