{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O49425"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O49425/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2012FR1281/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2012FR1281/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2012FR1281","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011FD8143","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2012FR3956","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JV7196","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O49425/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O49425","accessionNumber":"W.62:1to:3 -1935","objectType":"Chair","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"A tall chair, with shaped back and seat, the frame of beech with decoration in gesso with gilding, with separable panels for the back and seat upholstery, now covered in red and yellow cut velvet (of eighteenth-century date but probably added just before its acquisition by the Museum). The textile is entirely of silk (including the ground) which is consistent with 18th-century practice; in the 20th century such velvets were often made with mercerised cotton grounds.  When the textile was examined under X-ray, no evidence of tin was found (weighting with tin was a 19th century practice to give lighter silks the appearance of heavier, better quality textiles). The outside back is covered with red worsted woollen camlet, replacing (in 1994) a red velvet that was probably placed there in the 1960s. \n\nThere is evidence on the frame of at least three earlier covers. The present cover has been conserved but is again in poor condition. The cover appears to have been made originally for a chair with arms and is patched in the area where the arms would have joined the back. The gesso seems to be largely replaced, probably in the 19th century, in Edinburgh. \n\nThe cabriole legs are of square section with square-sectioned hoof feet.  The back legs are raked. The legs are outlined with extended C-scroll mouldings and the ground between these shows punched decoration in the gesso. The knees of the legs are carved with upright, scrolling foliage.  The back is of curved, waisted outline, the frame similarly carved with elongated scrolls on the outer edge, and the ground similarly punched.  In the centre of the top of the back, the outer scrolls are turned outwards to form a handgrip, the front surface of this carved with a cartouche, showing the crest of Sir William Humfreys  of a seated lion with one paw on a horse's head ( heraldically described as 'on a wreath argent a sable lion sejant or, reposing his dexter foot upon a nag's head couped ermines').\n\nThe chair legs and chair rails are joined with mortise and tenon joints, the back legs continuing above the seat rail as a plain rail running parallel with the back on its front face.  The completely separate back panel is set against these extensions to which they are glued and pegged.  The back panel is is composed of two uprights, jointed to the shaped top-rail with a lap-joint (where half the thickness of each part being jointed is cut away, the two thinner section are overlapped and pegged together).  This shows as a vertical joint on the back of the chair and a horizontal joint on the front of the chair.\n\nThere is a peg hole in the top of the back seat rail, but no corresponding peg on the back sub-frame, which suggests that the back sub-frame may have been renewed\n\nThe seat panel retains its original webbing and base cloth, but the top cover has been renewed, with that of the back panel.  Both are now covered in cut silk velvet of red and yellow, probably added just before the chair was sold to the Museum. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":"This technique of carved, gilded gesso, with punched decoration, is nearly always associated with the cabinet maker James Moore the Elder (working c. 1670-1726) but it was also used by other makers, such as John Belchier (working 1717-1753)."}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"beech","id":"AAT11948"},{"text":"gesso","id":"AAT14952"},{"text":"velvet","id":"AAT133711"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"},{"text":"gilding","id":"AAT53789"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Beechwood, with decoration in carved, punched and gilded gesso, the upholstery covered in cut velvet.","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"}],"styles":[{"text":"Baroque","id":"AAT21147"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2012FR1281","2011FD8143","2012FR3956","2017JV7196"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES342172"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES342172"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES342172"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES344203"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Chair","id":""}],[{"text":"Upholstered chair back","id":""}],[{"text":"Upholstered chair seat","id":""}],[{"text":"Upholstery","id":"x37978"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"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":"Although Sir William was only granted his arms on 22 April 1717, and it might be argued that this is therefore the earliest date for this chair, it is possible that he used the arms before this, although the more likely date of the chair is probably closer to 1725"}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"121","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"62","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"76.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"46","unit":"cm","qualifier":"to top of rail","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Art Treasures\r\nExhibition\r\n1928\r\nNo. 73","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"All this printed in script on a white paper label, except for the number, which is added in ink. Label stuck inside back seat-rail, to the left (PR)"},{"content":" J. T. SMITH\r\nCarver, Gilder, and Picture Frame Maker\r\n29 BRUNSWICK STREET\r\n(Stockbridge)\nEDINBURGH\nPictures Cleaned, Restored and Re-Lined\nWater Colours, Drawings Mounted on Cardboard, Round [?]..\r\n","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"On paper label stuck inside back seat-rail, to the right of the first label.  The print on this label suggests a date in the 19th century (but possibly quite late).  The firm is not listed in Francis Bamford's 'Dictionary of Edinburgh Wrights and Furniture Makers', published as vol. XIX of <i>Furniture History</i> (1983); only a few gilders are included in this. Smith is not recorded (2016) on the NPG database of British frame makers, but information and an image of the label have been sent to this."}],"objectHistory":"This chair must have been made as part of a larger set, for Sir William Humfreys (seemingly the preferred spelling, although Humphreys and Humfries are also found), as it bears his crest at the top of the back (described heraldically as 'On a wreath argent a sable lion sejant or, reposing his dexter foot upon a nag's head couped ermines').  The crest repeats one of the charges of his coat of arms, which included 'three nags' heads'.\n\nWilliam Humfrey was born the son of Nathaniel Humfreys of Candlewick Street, London, and grandson of William ap Humfrey of Penryn Fawr in Deythur, Montgomeryshire.  The date of his birth seems to be unknown. He married (5 October 1676, possibly at All Hallows, London Wall) Margaret Wintour.  She died on 19 August 1704.  He married secondly, on 6 January 1705, at Knightsbridge Chapel, Ellen Lancashire, who died 25 March 1732, without having had children by what was her second marriage. \n\nSir William was an oilman and drysalter in Poultry, London and a Director of the East India Company from 1711-1714 and of the Bank of England 1719-1730 (intermittently).  He was a member of the Ironmonger's Company (Master in 1705), a Common Councilman for Cheap Ward from 1699 to 1707, and an Alderman of Cheap Ward from 1707 to 1733 and of Bridge Without from 1733 to 1735. He was Sheriff of the City of London from 1704-1705 and Lord Mayor from 1714-1715. He was MP for Marlborough from 1715-1722.  He had been knighted on 26 October 1704 and created Baronet 30 November 1714. \n\nIn 1715 he purchased Hever Castle in Kent.  In London, his house was in Bloomsbury Square.\n\nSir William died 26 October 1735 at his house in Bloomsbury Square.  His son, who had married his stepsister Ellen Lancashire, died 14 June 1737, without having had children and the baronetcy became extinct. His widow died 3 April 1745. For an account of his life see J. and J.B. Burke, <i>Extinct and Dormant Baronetcies</i>, 2nd ed. (1841). Sir William's will is at the National Archives (Prob 11/674) but it gives no further information about his London properties but records that he held property in Essex.  Nothing can be deduced from his will to clarify the descent of the chairs. \n\nThe chair form shows some similarities with a set of giltwood armchairs, chairs and stools, thought to have been made for the State Bedroom and adjoining Dressing Room at Cannons, Middlesex for James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos (1673-1744, created Duke in 1719). Two of the chairs and a later settee were sold by Christie's 8 December 1994, lot 134-135. The two stools from the set are at Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire.  Two related armchairs were in the Chapel of the William Turner Hospiral, Kirkleatham, Cleveland until sold in 2007 (illustrated and written up in the catalogue of Malletts, New Bond Street, 2007. The date of the creation of the dukedom and the fact that these chairs appear to be those listed in a 1725 inventory of Cannons, would give a good guide to the dating of the V&amp;A chair.\n\nThe detail of the re-carving in the gesso on the Cannons chairs probably reflects the original work on the V&amp;A chair.  The existence of the paper label of the gilder on the V&amp;A chair suggests that it was in a Scottish collection in the second half of the 19th century and it is likely that the re-working of the gilded gesso decoration was done at that time, although the date of 1903 that was found on the upholstery in 1994 (see below) may be the date of Smith's label, the design just being old-fashioned. \n\nThe chair bears a label underneath showing that it was exhibited at the <i>Art Treasures Exhibition</i>, held under the auspices of the British Antique Dealers Association in the Grafton Galleries in 1928, where it was item number 73.\n\nIt was bought in November 1935 from Moss Harris for £80 (Registered File 5554/35, on Nominal File MA/1/H857, Harris, M. Sons)\n\nIn May 1966 John Hardy noted on departmental files  that 'Mr Gosling (70), said that Moss Harris put on the velvet'.  There is no record of who Mr Gosling was. Peter Thornton believed in 1967 that the re-covering was likely, although he pointed out that the pattern of the silk was exactly right for the supposed date of the chair, and referred to a velvet in his book, <i>Baroque and Rococo Silks</i> (London: Faber &amp; Faber, 1965, p. 193 and pl. 111B). That velvet (V&amp;A 631-1883) was believed by Thornton to be of Lyons manufacture, the terms 'Genoa' simply reflecting the form of cut velvet.  In 1965 he thought that the velvet on this chair, to which he refers, was possibly an English copy of a very popular design, versions of which survive not only in the V&amp;A but also in the Musée des Tissus in Lyons. In 1967 Peter Thornton also referred to a silk velvet of similar design that was used on the walls of the Pagodenburg at Nymphenburg, Munich in 1719.\n\nIn 1967 new photographs of the chair show the marks of conservation stitching on the back of the chair that are still apparent, but the date of this work is not known.\n\n\nIn 1994 conservation was undertaken again, by a student, Merete Winness, under the supervision of Christine Powell, Conservator and by Derek Balfour, student conservation upholsterer. The report records that the chair was predominantly water gilded over a purple/dark red bole, the purplish colour coming from the addition of graphite, which was needed as an addition to English clays (in contrast to continental clays) to allow a high burnish to be achieved. The gilding showed many areas of repair and up to four layers of gesso, bole and gilding were found in places. \nDerek Balfour removed the top covers and cleaned them. He found underneath that there were printed cotton covers, turned printed side down.  The seat cover had 'gilt chair 9.5.03' written in pencil. It is possible that the lable of Smith, Edinburgh, could date from as late as this and that both frame and upholstery were restored at that time. The red velvet that had lined the back of the chair was thought to be newer and possibly to date from the pre-1967 conservation. It was applied over cotton wadding, indicating that it could not be earlier than the 19th century. This was removed and replaced with a red woollen textile. \n\nA chair from the same set was offered for sale by Norton Rosenbaum &amp; Company Ltd,. New York, in 1972.  It was illustrated in an advertisement in the <i>Connoisseur</i>, August 1972 (vol. 180, no. 726), p. 24.  A copy of the advertisement is in departmental files. That chair showed modern upholstery in a plain, light colour. ","historicalContext":"This chair must have formed part of a larger set but it shows no marks on the frame to indicate the size of the set.\n\nAt the Grosvenor House Antiques Fair in 1968 Mallett's showed a similar chair. \n\nA letter of 2 November 1977 from Colin Streeter to Peter Thornton mentions a stool which was almost certainly from the same set in a private collection in New York. The slip seat had been replaced with a slab of marble to create a coffee table.  An ink-stamped number on one of the corner struts (39504) showed that the stool had passed through the hands of French &amp; Co. in the late 1920s or early 1930s, which suggests that there may have been a dispersal of a larger portion of the set in the 1920s. Colin Streeter believed this to be an 18th-century stool rather than an early 20th century reproduction.  Later a copy of a photograph from French &amp; Company's records in the Metropolitan Museum was attached to the record for the V&amp;A chair, annotated with the number A26.\n\nIn 1994 Christie's in New York sold a stool from this set, but it is uncertain whether it is the one mentioned above or a second stool. ","briefDescription":"A tall chair, with shaped back and seat, the frame with decoration in gesso with gilding, with separable panels for the back and seat upholstery, upholstered in red and yellow cut velvet, probably added just before its acquisition by the Museum. The top of the back shows the crest of Sir William Humfrey, Lord Mayor of London 1714-1715.  Much of the gesso and the detail re-carved in it appears to have been replaced, possibly in the 19th century.  ","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Mulliner, H.H., <i>Decorative Arts in England 1660-1780</i>. London, n.d. (1924), fig. 64"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<i>The Dictionary of English Furniture from the Middle Ages to the Late Georgian Period </i>by Percy Macquoid and Ralph Edwards, revised and enlarged by Ralph Edwards. 3 vols.,  London: Country Life Ltd., 1954, vol. I, p. 261, fig. 109. "},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Thornton, Peter, <i>Baroque and Rococo Silks</i> (London: Faber & Faber, 1965), p. 193."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<i>Victoria and Albert Museum. English Chairs</i>, with an introduction by Ralph Edwards FSA. London: HMSO, 1951, no. 52.  "},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<i>Victoria and Albert Museum. English Chairs</i>, with an introduction by Ralph Edwards FSA. London: 2nd ed.,  HMSO, 1965, no. 47.  "},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<i>Victoria and Albert Museum. English Chairs</i>, with an introduction by Ralph Edwards FSA, revised by Desmond Fitzgerald. 3rd ed. London: HMSO, 1970, no. 43.  "}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"[Label text from 1968 - author unknown]\r\nCHAIR\r\nCarved beechwood, gessoed and gilded. Upholstered in contemporary Genoa velvet\r\nEnglish; about 1717\r\n\r\nArms granted in 1717, of Sir William Humphreys Bart., Lord Mayor of London, 1714-1715. The early variant of the cabriole leg is interesting. This chair is similar to a set at Houghton, Norfolk.","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}},{"text":"CHAIR\r\nENGLISH; about 1720\r\nGilded beechwood, upholstered in contemporary Genoa velvet.\r\nArms granted in 1717 of Sir William Humphreys, Bart., Lord Mayor of London, 1714-5. This chair is similar to a set at Houghton, Norfolk.\nMuseum No. W.62-1935\n\nText by John Hardy","date":{"text":"1976","earliest":"1976-01-01","latest":"1976-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["W.62:1-1935","W.62:2-1935","W.62:3-1935","W.62:4-1935"],"accessionNumberNum":"62","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1935,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Chair","Upholstered chair back","Upholstered chair seat"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-08","recordCreationDate":"2000-11-20","availableToBook":true}}