Fine Regency Bergere Chair, Attributed to Gillows

A fine Regency period faux rosewood bergere chair, attributed to Gillows of Lancaster and London,

English, circa 1820

The foliate and scroll-carved curved toprail, flanked by shaped and carved downswept sides, on turned and reeded fore legs and sabre back supports. Front seat-rail incised L. Squab cushion can be recovered to buyer's taste.

This caned Regency bergere, attributed to the renowned cabinet-makers Gillows of Lancaster & London, is designed in the early 19th century French 'Antique' manner, and with its curved toprail, hollowed back and Grecian splayed back legs relates to seat patterns in George Smith's Collection of Designs for Household Furniture and Interior Decoration, 1808.

A similar armchair with splayed front and back legs supplied in May 1824 to Rev. Manby is illustrated in Gillows' Estimate Sketch Book for 1822-30, no. 3349, 24 May 1824 (Westminster City Archives, 344/101-102). A simpler version of this chair is featured in Margaret Jourdain, Regency Furniture, 1965, p. 54, fig. 95, formerly with M. Harris & Sons. A set of six similar chairs attributed to Gillows and almost certainly supplied to Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (d. 1863) for Lansdowne House, London sold Christie's London, 5 April 2001, lot 306 (£37,600).