Page 234 - Irving Collection Part II Chinese Art

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L A C Q U E R • J A D E • B R O N Z E • I N K T H E R V I N G C O L L E C T I O N 髹金飾玉 - 歐雲伉儷珍藏

1336 A GEORGE II MAHOGANY LIBRARY ARMCHAIR
n POSSIBLY BY WILLIAM BRADSHAW, CIRCA 1755

The padded back arms and seat covered in pale green and cream
striped silk damask, on carved cabriole legs, two of the ears later
incised with the initials ‘WB’ to the underside, elements of framing
not examined under upholstery
$10,000-15,000
PROVENANCE
Acquired from Devenish & Company, 11 November 1991.
The Irving Collection.

This armchair is possibly by William Bradshaw (1728–d. 1775),
cabinet maker, upholder and ‘tapissier’, of Greek Street, Soho,
London. The distinctive reverse scroll feet are found on a set
of four armchairs by the craftsman, now in the Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New York, and discussed by Geofrey Beard
in ‘William Bradshaw: Furniture Maker and Tapestry Weaver’,
Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 37, 2002, pp. 167-169.
Another set of eight related armchairs are at Holkham Hall,
Norfolk; these were supplied by Paul Saunders (b. 1722–d.1771)
to the 1st Earl of Leicester in 1757. Saunders and his partner
George Smith-Bradshaw took possession of William Bradshaw’s
workshop in Greek Street in 1755, and at the same time they
1336
probably acquired his stock and pattern books. This is borne out
by the close similarity of the carved ornamentation on furniture
attributed to Bradshaw with that of Saunders. Bradshaw also
worked at Holkham for the 1st Earl; in 1742, he received £429 14s
for furniture supplied to this mansion.

1337
n A CHINESE-STYLE BLACK, GREEN AND GILT-JAPANNED LOW TABLE
LATE 20TH CENTURY
The central feld decorated with pavilions in a landscape
15 in. (38 cm.) high, 55 in. (139.7 cm.) wide,
27Ω in. (70 cm.) deep
$2,000-3,000
PROVENANCE
Acquired from Yale R. Burge Antiques,
New York, 14 November 1991.
The Irving Collection, no. L08.

1337

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