[av_heading heading=’Two pairs of 18th-century chairs wildly outperformed their estimates at Brunk’ tag=’h1′ style=” subheading_active=” show_icon=” icon=’ue800′ font=’entypo-fontello’ size=” av-desktop-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” subheading_size=” av-desktop-font-size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” icon_size=” av-desktop-font-size-1=” av-medium-font-size-1=” av-small-font-size-1=” av-mini-font-size-1=” color=” custom_font=” subheading_color=” seperator_color=” icon_color=” margin=’,,35px,’ av-desktop-margin=” av-desktop-margin_sync=’true’ av-medium-margin=” av-medium-margin_sync=’true’ av-small-margin=’,,20px,’ av-mini-margin=” av-mini-margin_sync=’true’ headline_padding=” headline_padding_sync=’true’ av-desktop-headline_padding=” av-desktop-headline_padding_sync=’true’ av-medium-headline_padding=” av-medium-headline_padding_sync=’true’ av-small-headline_padding=” av-small-headline_padding_sync=’true’ av-mini-headline_padding=” av-mini-headline_padding_sync=’true’ padding=’10’ av-desktop-padding=” av-medium-padding=” av-small-padding=” av-mini-padding=” icon_padding=’10’ av-desktop-icon_padding=” av-medium-icon_padding=” av-small-icon_padding=” av-mini-icon_padding=” link=” link_target=” title_attr=” id=” custom_class=” template_class=” av_uid=’av-lp9nj6l2′ sc_version=’1.0′ admin_preview_bg=”][/av_heading]
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ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A tale of two exceptional pairs of 18th-century chairs – one made in London, the other in Philadelphia – played out at Brunk Auctions on November 16, November 17 and November 18. Both pairs made six-figure sums on the second and third days of the North Carolina sale.
A pair of George III giltwood open armchairs were being deaccessioned from ‘an important Southern institution’ with an earlier provenance to the collection of Edwin Herzog of New York and Charleston. Inspired by patterns for ‘French easy chairs’ in Thomas Chippendale’s Gentleman and Cabinet Makers Director, the design is one associated with the architect James ‘Athenian’ Stuart (1713-1788) and attributed to the fashionable London cabinetmakers John Gordon and John Tait.
Similar Stuart-Gordon chairs with palmette medallion carvings were made for John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer (1734-1783) at Spencer House in Westminster. When the current earl Charles Spencer sold some of the furnishings from the house at Christie’s in London in 2010, pairs of chairs from two suites dated circa 1758-1765 were offered — those in the exotic West Indian hardwood sabicu and others with a white-painted and parcel-gilt finish ‘in the French manner.’
The pair at Brunk were probably from a set from Nuneham Park in Oxfordshire, commissioned by the British diplomat and general Simon Harcourt (1714-1777), 1st Earl Harcourt. He held close ties to the Spencer family. According to the auction house, they were in a fine state of overall preservation and retained most of their original gilt surface. Estimated at $30,000-$50,000, they hammered for $120,000 ($153,600 with buyer’s premium). The eight armchairs in the Christie’s Spencer House sale were sold in pairs for sums between £145,250 (about $181,450) for those in giltwood up to £802,850 (roughly $1 million) for a pair in sabicu.
On November 18, a pair of Philadelphian Queen Anne walnut ‘compass seat’ side chairs hammered for $220,000 ($281,600 with buyer’s premium) against an estimate of $40,000-$60,000.
Made circa-1740-1760 to a sophisticated design that includes shell carving to the backs and the legs, the two were from a set of at least nine chairs probably made for Dr. Thomas Graeme (1688-1772). A well-to-do Scotsman from Balgowan in Perthshire, he rose to prominence as port physician of Philadelphia during the period when overcrowded boats of German migrants were arriving in the city. The large estate he purchased in Horsham, Pennsylvania became Graeme Park.
For almost a century after his death, the set of chairs remained intact at Graeme Park. However, they became separated in 1865. One of these two chairs – the example with early and probably original needlework upholstery – remained in the family until it was first sold at Sotheby’s in 1983. It was most recently sold at Christie’s New York in September 2013, when it hammered for $40,000.
It was only reunited with its mate (later covered in pink silk) in January 2017 when the owner bought another chair, also at Christie’s, for $50,000. This one shared the same early history, but had left Pennsylvania for New York in the late 19th century. In total, four chairs from the set are now accounted for, with another in the collection at Colonial Williamsburg.
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Pair of George III giltwood open armchairs, which sold for $120,000 ($153,600 with buyer’s premium) at Brunk Auctions.
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Pair of Philadelphian Queen Anne walnut ‘compass seat’ side chairs, which sold for $220,000 ($281,600 with buyer’s premium) at Brunk Auctions.
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