Mayhew and Ince: Pair of Open Armchairs
£2,800
A fine pair of painted open armchairs with cartouche-shaped padded back centred by a foliate clasp, the arms with foliate handholds and scrolled moulded supports, above a partially-fluted seat-rail, on baluster fluted legs headed by palm leaves, guilloche and beading on top-form feet. One chair is attributed to the celebrated partnership of John Mayhew and William Ince, the other chair was made by a highly skilled craftsman in the 20th century as a matching companion
The design of this elegant chair, with Roman-medallion back in the French ‘cabriolet’ fashion, can be attributed to the celebrated Soho cabinet-making partnership established in 1759 by William Ince and John Mayhew and publicised by their furniture pattern-book, The Universal System of Household Furniture, 1762. The same pattern of columnar leg and acanthus-flowered back features on closely related ‘Cabriole Chairs’ chairs designed by John Mayhew in harmony with Robert Adam’s Roman-patterned ceiling introduced at Chirk Castle, Wrexham, Wales in the 1770s. Three of the chairs were sold from Chirk Castle, Christie’s house sale, 21 June 2004 lots 50 (a pair, sold £74,090 including premium) and 51 (a single chair, sold £38,240 including premium).
The closest parallel to the Chirk suite can be drawn with that commissioned by the 3rd Earl of Darnley for Cobham Hall, Kent. A loyal and most enduring client of Mayhew and Ince, between 1760 and his death in 1781, his bank account at Coutts records payments totalling just under £4,000, indicating a notable commission. The association continued with the 4th Earl who spent just over £3,600 prior to 1803. Among other furniture remaining at Cobham Hall that can reasonably be attributed to Mayhew & Ince are two further suites of similar date and inspiration, including one with inverted heart-shaped backs of the same type as the present chairs (see: J.Cornforth, ‘Cobham Hall-III’, Country Life, 10 March 1983, pp.568-571, pls.8,9,11 & 12).
