A Set of Carlos Trece Chairs
1880's
narra and rattan
armchairs: height: 49 1/2” (126 cm) length: 23 3/4” (60 cm) width: 20 1/4” (51 cm)
chairs:heigth :44 3/4” (114 cm) length: 19” (48 cm) width: 17” (43 cm)


PROVENANCE: León Gallery, Spectacular Mid-Year Auction, Makati City, 11 June 2016, Lot 72



This set of four side chairs and a pair of armchairs belonged to a very upper class household. They are, technically, of the Carlos XIII Style, but unlike the straight vertical backs of typical Carlos XIII chairs the backrest of these chairs splay upward as they rise. The chairs have delicately turned and tapering front legs ending with arrow feet. Four grooves are carved on the shaft of the leg, while above it is a carved beaded ring beneath a turned reel. The bow-fronted front apron of the chair is carved with four parallel, vertical flat moldings in the middle flanked by three narrow horizontal moldings. The seat is caned. The square back legs, slightly S-curved and narrowing downwards, continue upward to form the stiles of the high chair back that consist of finely turned balusters terminating with delicate finials. The curved upper and lower rails of the back are carved with moldings at the borders, and a crest with a clam shell flanked by an acanthus leaf on either side. The shield-shaped back rest is caned, both in front and at the back. - Martin I. Tinio, Jr