About This Object
A Regency period parcel-gilt x-frame stool with brass mounts and covered in John Boyd Textiles horsehair fabric. In the manner of Gillows and after a design by Thomas Hope.
England, circa 1815
Why we like it
Its form, inspired by classical antiquity, is both timeless and highly decorative. Fully restored and newly reupholstered in burgundy horsehair fabric, this handsome stool is an elegant accent piece for a classic or contemporary interior.
This 'Grecian' stool form derives from Thomas Hope's Household Furniture and Interior Decoration, 1807 (pl. XII), which was informed by the ancient Greek and Roman examples, often depicted on pottery and frescoes.
This distinctive form also corresponds to a pattern later featured in the Estimate Sketch Book of Gillows of London and Lancaster (no. 3568, dated 1827), but the design is known to have been manufactured as early as 1812 (N. Goodison & J. Hardy, 'Gillows at Tatton Park', Furniture History, 1970, p. 22). A nearly identical example was sold Christie's London, 11 September 2008, lot 55 (£4,375).
