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CHIPPENDALE, Thomas, Jr (1749-1822). Autograph letter signed ('Thos Chippendale') to an unidentified correspondent ('Sir'), 57 Haymarket, London, 4 November 1813, 2 pages, 4to (conjugate leaf torn away, with small loss, touching one word, and short tear to outer margin).
A letter to a patron, discussing in detail the design of an armchair. Chippendale refers to a 'perspective view' (not present) which he has drawn up from his correspondent's sketches: the armchair in prospect is evidently to match a set of chairs already made, and Chippendale elaborates on its features - 'the scrowl for the elbows I suppose you meant it to lay horizontally' - and makes discreet suggestions - 'as the pannel is of wood in [the other chairs], I rather think it would look better in these than Cane. If the scrowl for the Elbow was to turn down as in the side sketch perhaps it would look better'. A postscript concerns the new address of his workshop: 'By the base conduct of Lord Salisbury's Steward I have lost my premises in St Martins Lane and am for the present in the Haymarket'.
APPARENTLY UNKNOWN AND UNPUBLISHED; ANY MATERIAL IN THE HAND OF THOMAS CHIPPENDALE JR IS EXCEPTIONALLY RARE AT AUCTION. Thomas Chippendale Jr was the eldest son of the elder Thomas Chippendale; he worked initially, on his father's death, at his old factory at 60 St Martin's Lane in partnership with Thomas Haig. Made bankrupt in 1804 as a result of his debts to Haig, he nevertheless remained at St Martin's Lane until Michaelmas 1813, when he removed to 57 Haymarket, again shortly afterwards to 12 Haymarket, and eventually to 42 Jermyn Street from 1818 to 1821. Beyond these facts his life is very sparsely documented. The present letter is particlarly intriguing in that it shows Chippendale working to a patron's design; it also casts important light on his reasons for leaving the St Martin's Lane workshop. The 'base conduct' of the steward of the 1st Marquis of Salisbury may have been in increasing his rent - certainly his successor on the premises is known to have paid a higher rate.
A letter to a patron, discussing in detail the design of an armchair. Chippendale refers to a 'perspective view' (not present) which he has drawn up from his correspondent's sketches: the armchair in prospect is evidently to match a set of chairs already made, and Chippendale elaborates on its features - 'the scrowl for the elbows I suppose you meant it to lay horizontally' - and makes discreet suggestions - 'as the pannel is of wood in [the other chairs], I rather think it would look better in these than Cane. If the scrowl for the Elbow was to turn down as in the side sketch perhaps it would look better'. A postscript concerns the new address of his workshop: 'By the base conduct of Lord Salisbury's Steward I have lost my premises in S
APPARENTLY UNKNOWN AND UNPUBLISHED; ANY MATERIAL IN THE HAND OF THOMAS CHIPPENDALE JR IS EXCEPTIONALLY RARE AT AUCTION. Thomas Chippendale Jr was the eldest son of the elder Thomas Chippendale; he worked initially, on his father's death, at his old factory at 60 St Martin's Lane in partnership with Thomas Haig. Made bankrupt in 1804 as a result of his debts to Haig, he nevertheless remained at St Martin's Lane until Michaelmas 1813, when he removed to 57 Haymarket, again shortly afterwards to 12 Haymarket, and eventually to 42 Jermyn Street from 1818 to 1821. Beyond these facts his life is very sparsely documented. The present letter is particlarly intriguing in that it shows Chippendale working to a patron's design; it also casts important light on his reasons for leaving the St Martin's Lane workshop. The 'base conduct' of the steward of the 1st Marquis of Salisbury may have been in increasing his rent - certainly his successor on the premises is known to have paid a higher rate.
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