{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O70654"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O70654/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM9437/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM9437/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM9437","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM9436","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM1542","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JU3051","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/O70654/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O70654","accessionNumber":"W.62-1940","objectType":"Chair","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This chair is one of a set of six. The backs are closely modelled on a design that Thomas Chippendale published in his <i>Gentleman and Cabinet Makers’ Director</i> of 1754, plate XII. Chippendale is today the best known of all 18th century furniture makers in London. This is largely because he was one of the first to publish his designs. Furniture makers all over Britain and abroad copied them. Chippendale’s craftsmen are unlikely to have made this chair. Another furniture maker no doubt saw the advantage of using such elegant and fashionable designs.","physicalDescription":"Chair of mahogany, based on a Chippendale design, with seat upholstered in red leather","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Thomas Chippendale Senior","id":"A8241"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Mahogany","id":"AAT12221"},{"text":"Birch","id":"AAT11973"},{"text":"Leather","id":"AAT11845"},{"text":"Birch","id":"AAT11973"}],"techniques":[{"text":"Carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved mahogany, with modern upholstery","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2006AM9437","2006AM9436","2006AM1542","2017JU3051","2017JU3071"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES342445"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"011","id":"THES309199"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Chair","id":""}],[{"text":"Upholstery","id":"x37978"}]],"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":[],"creditLine":"Given by Miss Amy E. Tomes","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"94.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"59","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"56.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'6 pedistals for Chipendels / Backs'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"On the underside of the shoe","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Written in pencil in an 18th century hand, on the inner side of the shoe"},{"content":"'VI'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"chisel-marked","position":"Underside of shoe","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Underside of shoe; chisel-marked"},{"content":"'..derneath the moulded pie......this chair, into  which the ....back or splat, fit at the bottom, is written in pencil in a bad hand \"6 pedestals for Mr Chippendales/backs\" - A.E. Tomes'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"1876","earliest":"1876-01-01","latest":"1876-12-31"},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"On the back face of the back seat rail","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"Label","note":"Hand-written paper label signed by the donor, Amy Tomes, on the underside of the back seat rail. The letter extract quoted, written by Robert Tomes, Great-Uncle of the donor, in 1876 is contained in a set of documents given with the chairs, W.85-1940. A fuller quotation from the letter is pasted on the underside of the back seat rail of another in the set, W.63-1940. The pencil  inscription was misquoted by Robert Tomes and reads in fact  '6 pedistals for Chipendels/Backs'.\n\n"}],"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. Letters and drawings relating to the bequest were also acquired, museum no. W.85-1940. \r\n\r\nA faint pencil inscription on the inner face of the shoe of this chair reads '6 pedistals for Chipendels Backs'.  A punched numeral 'VI' (6) is on the same face of the shoe. ","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"English chair, c.1755-70, carved mahogany, after a design by Thomas Chippendale. One of a set of six, W.62 to 67-1940.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Bowett, Adam and Lomax, James. <i>Thomas Chippendale 1718-1779. A Celebration of British Craftsmanship and Design. Catalogue of the Tercentenary Exhibition,</i> Leeds City Museum 2018. Chippendale Society 2018.\n\nGilbert, Christopher. <i>The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale.</i> 2 vols. London 1978"}],"production":"Closely based on a design by Thomas Chippendale (plate XII, right, in the 1st edition of the \"Director\" (1754) - plate dated 1753, and also reprinted in 1755 edition and as plate XIII right, and repeated in plate XIV, right, in the 1762, 3rd ed. But the carving is rather flat and lifeless, suggesting that the chair is probably provincial. It differs from the design in certain respects: the C-scrolls at the top of the splat disappear into the top rail rather than ending in a round scroll; and instead the top rail is peaked above the points where the C-scrolls join it. And the forked section of the splat is solid, not pierced, below the scrolling foliage (about a third of the way down). Nevertheless, the faithfulness of the copy is another indication that the chair is likely to be provincial; generally, London makers would not have been so reliant on printed designs.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["W.62-1940","W.62:2-1940"],"accessionNumberNum":"62","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1940,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LV7692","2019LV7580"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-05-28","recordCreationDate":"2002-11-22","availableToBook":false}}