{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O372192"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O372192/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GP9541/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GP9541/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2013GP9541","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JU3071","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O372192/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O372192","accessionNumber":"W.63-1940","objectType":"Chair","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Side chairs were designed for dining or playing at cards. When not in use, they were placed against the wall, where the elaborate backs created a decorative effect.\r\n\r\nThe back of this chair is inspired by a design in Thomas Chippendale's 'The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director' (Plate XII, 1754 and 1755 editions, Plate XIII, repeated in Plate XIV, 3rd edition, 1762).  The 'pedestal' or shoe for the back splat of another of this set of six chairs (W.62-1940) is inscribed in pencil '6 pedistals for Chipendels backs'.  It is likely that the maker was simply following Chippendale's published designs, rather than working for the firm.  The quality of the carving is not good enough for the chairs to have been made by the Chippendale firm.\r\n\r\nMany versions were made by furniture makers throughout Britain and overseas, in a wide range of qualities. Without evidence from bills and inventories it is impossible to date such chairs closely. We know that workshops were producing chairs of this pattern more than 30 years after the 'Director' was published. When chairs were made following Director patterns, as in this example, it is only the back that is copied from the published plate. The seat and legs tend to be treated much more conventionally.\r\n\r\nChippendale's notes to the plate recommend that the design should be carefully drawn to scale before carving. He indicates that the fabric used to cover such chairs usually matches the window curtains. The height of the chair back should never be more than 22 inches (56 centimetres) above that of the seat. The mahogany would have been imported from the West Indies.\n\nThis object is on loan to Sewerby Hall.\r\n","physicalDescription":"Carved mahogany. Symmetrically wavy top-rail with rococo detail carved in shallow relief. Pierced splat with inward facing scrolls, shallow relief carved acanthus leaves. Plain square front and back legs and four rectangular stretchers. Tapering solid wood uprights reeded in front. Inner legs are chamfered. Serpentine-fronted seat. Replacement seat top cover in red velvet with double row of close nailing along front and sides. Inscription pasted on underside of back seat rail. Damage: left hand side of the pedestal has the top part broken off and crudely replaced with the chip still visible from the back.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Thomas Chippendale Senior","id":"A8241"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"mahogany","id":"AAT12221"},{"text":"velvet","id":"AAT133711"},{"text":"birch","id":"AAT11973"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"carved mahogany, velvet top cover","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2013GP9541","2017JU3071"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"SewerbyHall","id":"THES263401"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Chair","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1755-1770","earliest":"1750-01-01","latest":"1770-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"W.62-1940","id":"O70654"},"association":"Set"},{"object":{"text":"W.64-1940","id":"O70665"},"association":"Set"},{"object":{"text":"W.65-1940","id":"O79056"},"association":"Set"},{"object":{"text":"W.66-1940","id":"O70668"},"association":"Set"},{"object":{"text":"W.67-1940","id":"O55006"},"association":"Set"}],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by Miss Amy E. Tomes","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"94.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"1940","earliest":"1940-01-01","latest":"1940-12-31"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"59","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"1940","earliest":"1940-01-01","latest":"1940-12-31"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"56.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"1940","earliest":"1940-01-01","latest":"1940-12-31"},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'In 1876 these six chairs were  being renovated by Hancock cabinet-maker of Stratford-on-Avon and my great-uncle Robert Tomes wrote on Oct 9th 1876 (the letter being still in my possession) \"Underneath the moulded piece into which the centre of the back, or splat, fits, at the bottom is written in pencil in a bad hand \"6 pedestals for Mr Chippendale's backs\" [sic], so I suppose these backs were really the property of Mr Chippendale and that the pieces forming the base to the central part of the back were made by some other workmen than those directly in his employ\" / A. E. Tomes'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Note written in pen on paper and pasted to the underside of the back seat rail.  The pencil inscription referred to in the note is not on this chair but is on the inner side of the shoe of W.62-1940 and was misquoted by Robert Tomes.  It is in fact '6 pedistals for Chipendels/Backs'.  A similar but shorter paper label by A.E.Tomes  is pasted to the underside of the back seat rail of W.62-1940.  The letter quoted is contained in a set of documents given with the chairs, W.85-1940."}],"objectHistory":"The six chairs W.62 to 67-1940 were purchased by Robert Tomes in Shipston-on-Stour, and restored for him in 1876 by a cabinet-maker of Stratford-on- Avon named Hancock. They were bequeathed to the Museum by Robert Tomes's great-niece, Miss Amy E Tomes in 1940.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"English chair, c.1755-70, carved mahogany, after a design by Thomas Chippendale. 78/431. Seat-frame and upholstery renewed. Red velvet top cover with double row of close nailing. one of a set of six, W.62 to 67-1940.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}},{"text":"[Label for W.67-1940, another in the set]\nChair\nBritain; about 1755\nMahogany\nThe back of this chair is inspired by a design in Thomas Chippendale's The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director (3rd edition, 1762), plate XIII.  The 'pedestal' or splat of the back [of one of the set of six] is inscribed in pencil '6 pedistals for Chipendels backs'. It is not clear whether the maker was working for Chippendale's firm or simply following his published designs.\nMuseum no. W.67-1940.","date":{"text":"1996","earliest":"1996-01-01","latest":"1996-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["W.63-1940"],"accessionNumberNum":"63","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1940,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2023NN3617"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-10","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":false}}