{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O370272"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O370272/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EY9767/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EY9767/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011EY9767","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC4318","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O370272/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O370272","accessionNumber":"W.38-1925","objectType":"Armchair","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Raised on cabriole legs, the back with pad feet and a carved scrolled moulding outlining the spandrel with a small leaf motif above. The PL (proper left) back leg has a replaced spandrel (uncarved) The front legs are boldly carved with eagle’s claws, four on each, which clutch a smooth globe. The claws are scaly in the upper part and this continues half way up the leg. Above each the leg is outlined with ‘C’ scrolls running onto the spandrel, with a small leaf motif above. On the knee is a shell with acanthus drop below.  There is a noticeable difference on the carving of the shells on the two legs. One is carved with broad ribs, with two indents to each, the other with narrow ribs with a single central indent. \r\nThe arm supports are attached to the outside of the side seat rails, behind the front legs. They are serpentine in profile and rise to meet the arms rests just behind the eagle-head hand rests. The front faces are bordered by a raised fillet and carved with an upright acanthus leaf at the base, with above (unusually) an inverted drop of husks. All this is on a punched ground. On the outer side, at the base, is a small shell, bordered by scrolls that rise on either side, into the acanthus. The sides and the back of the arm rest are treated as one continuous surface, cut with a shallow trellis, enclosing small circles. This is overlaid with a large scrolling acanthus that runs down the entire back edge and onto each side, ending in a generous scroll. At the top, where the supports join the arms, they are carved with feathers continuing the design of the eagles’ neck. \r\nThe arms are of elm and are ‘S’ shape in plan, the upper surface has a plain central section, curved in elevation, which shows evidence of previous upholstery, with tack holes around the edges. On the top outer edge of this plain section is a raised fillet, scrolling at either end. This fillet continues to the back of the arm in a short section which is carved with acanthus. In front of the plain section, the arms is carved on all visible surfaces with feathers, forming the neck of the eagle, the head of which is turned sharply outwards. The outside of each arm, behind the feathered section is concave is section and carved with a shallow recessed panel. Central to the panel is a shell motif flanked by acanthus scrolls, all against a stippled ground. At the point at which the arms join the upright of the back there is a small, semi-circular blank section on the inner edge and on the outside a bank extension block attached to the side uprights of the back. \r\nThe conjoined seat and back are upholstered in a crimson silk velvet. The width of the velvet is 54.5 cm, the seams are hand sewn. At various points on the seat and back small sections have been pieced in, presumably to cover holes. The pattern of wear, at first glance, appears to be consistent with use of the chair but on closer inspection, the patching and some of the wear on the pleated sections, above the PR legs may suggest that at least some occurred before the fabric was used on this chair (for example, the PR top shoulder of the back is heavily worn, with no apparent reason). The upholstry is edged with ¾ inch braid, woven with a pattern of alternating diamonds of pile and a raised weave. The back is lined with a silk damask, with a large floral pattern.\r\nThe back, with curved top rail has waisted sides with extensions where the arms join. The seat is horseshoe shaped. The seat rails are possibly beech but have been painted red and otherwise coloured so identification is uncertain. The undersides of the rails show substantial old nailing, which indicates that it was once lined under and must at some point have had webbing attached to the underside to allow for springs. The underside of the current upholstery shows a plain weave jute basecloth, supported by black and white jute webbing, open set, 5 cm wide, each with 5 chevrons: 5 webs running back to front and 4 webs laterally. \r\n There are four deep recesses cut on the underside of the seat rails, on the inner edges, one in each side rail and two in the front rail. These show holes for screw fixings and may suggest fixings (now unused) for a separate upholstery frame. \r\nConstruction and condition:\r\nMuch of the structure of the chair is enclosed in upholstery and so is conjecture. The thick surface coating of the chair also makes construction hard to read. \r\nThe back legs are blocked out at the foot and the outer edge of the knee. The front legs appear to have been originally cut in one piece, but the PR foot shows one replacement claw and part of the foot, and underneath there is a line, which may be a break or indicate some piecing. The shaped seat rails are presumably tenoned into the top of the legs and the corners of the seat frame are strengthened with softwood blocks, which appear to be original. The inside of the back seat rail is reinforced with an additional billet of elm, attached with both handmade nails and 19th or 20th century wire nails; this is not stained in any way. The spandrel brackets are reinforced with blocks behind, glued on. The one behind the front spandrel to the PL leg is newer and attached with a very large machine-made screw. The top of the side and front seat rails are chamfered on the inner edge. Above the seat rails on either side, iron straps are visible, running between the back and the arms supports. These may be part of an angle iron strengthening the back. On the inside of the seat rails, level with the base of the arms supports, 2 angled iron straps are visible, presumably an attachment (or reinforcement) for the arms. \r\nThe structure of the back is largely hidden, but the outset section, to which the arms are attached, appears to be an addition and breaks the line of the back. The arms supports are tenoned up into the arms and there is severe damage at both joints. The underside of the PR arm shows an iron strap, approx. 10cm long, attached at the back with three machine made screws, this may also be one arm of an angle bracket. \r\nThe PR arm support has a loose section attached with a peg on the outside, at the top.\r\nThe PL arm support is additionally fixed up into the arm with a large machine-made screw. \r\nThe PR eagle final has a replaced section of ‘hair piece’ at the top. \r\nThe arm supports are cut with an angled edge to each vertical side, originally designed to locate with a recess cut in the seat rail to form a running dovetail. There is much damage in this area, which may explain the need for metal reinforcements.\r\nThe underside of the arms shows tack holes for upholstery and remains of some paint finish and tack holes are also visible on the edges of the top surfaces of the elbow rests, also suggesting upholstery at some time. \r\nThe PL back foot is badly wormed. The foot of the PR back leg has a replacement piecing out section. The PR front foot has one claw and a section of the globe replaced, obvious from the roughly punched out decoration. Both front legs are badly wormed. \r\nMarks:\r\nA British council label is cellotaped to the underside of the upholstery and headed ‘fine arts department’. There is no indication of the exhibition to which this was clearly lent and the only annotation (type written) is ‘3/020’.\r\n","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"elm","id":"AAT12070"},{"text":"velvet","id":"AAT133711"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2011EY9767","2017KC4318"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES342660"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Armchair","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1715-1725","earliest":"1715-01-01","latest":"1725-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"with 19th century additions/alterations"}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the children of Sir George Donaldson in memory of their father","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"107","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"82","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"58.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"44","unit":"cm","qualifier":"to top of seat rail","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Armchair, 1715-1725, English. Elm and other woods, seat and back upholstered in red velvet. The hand rests carved as eagle’s heads, the legs and with eagle’s claw feet clutching a globe. The frame is very heavily varnished, which makes identification of the woods difficult. ","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["W.38-1925"],"accessionNumberNum":"38","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1925,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-08","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}