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Lot Essay
This suite of seat-furniture reflects the influence of the Huguenot designer and architect Daniel Marot and relates to designs published in his Oeuvres of 1703. Although the low height of the back might initially suggest that the canapé has been reduced in height to be covered in expensive earlier upholstery - perhaps even in the 18th Century - what appears to be the canapé's pair, also with a low back, was sold from the René Fribourg Collection, Sotheby's London, 17-18 October 1963, lot 681.
Directly comparable suites of 'parade' seat-furniture were acquired by Charles, 4th Earl and later 1st Duke of Manchester for Kimbolton Castle, Huntingdonshire. Manchester was appointed as the Ambassador to the Court of Louis XIV in 1699 and his tenure in France no doubt influenced his decision to commission a suite of chairs which closely followed the fashionable styles popular in France at this time. In 1708, Manchester had returned from France and had undertaken his second position in Italy as the Queen's Ambassador Extraordinary to Venice. He obviously took a keen interest in his remodelling of Kimbolton and at this date was known to be buying velvet and other textiles for the interiors. In a letter to Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, who was then involved in the furnishing of Blenheim Palace, he wrote 'It is better to have rather more than less than you shall want, for in measuring of the rooms they may be mistaken. Besides, there must be chairs, window curtains and for doors according to the manner of Italy, which looks very handsome' (F. Lenygon, Decoration in England, London, 1914, p. 216).
The remarkably well-preserved silk-velvet upholstery appears to be late 17th or early 18th Century and may well be original. This would suggest that the canapé and chairs were possibly acquired by Sir Philip Sassoon in the great English country house dispersals that took place between the wars - and he is known, for instance to have bought the Kiveton suite at the Hornby Castle sale at Christie's, 10 June 1920 (now at Temple Newsam House, Leeds, it is illustrated in C. Gilbert, Furniture at Temple Newsam House and Lotherton Hall, Leeds, 1978, II, no. 322, p. 265). Sadly the catalogues of Hornby Castle and Kimbolton have not produced any concrete leads.
Directly comparable suites of 'parade' seat-furniture were acquired by Charles, 4th Earl and later 1st Duke of Manchester for Kimbolton Castle, Huntingdonshire. Manchester was appointed as the Ambassador to the Court of Louis XIV in 1699 and his tenure in France no doubt influenced his decision to commission a suite of chairs which closely followed the fashionable styles popular in France at this time. In 1708, Manchester had returned from France and had undertaken his second position in Italy as the Queen's Ambassador Extraordinary to Venice. He obviously took a keen interest in his remodelling of Kimbolton and at this date was known to be buying velvet and other textiles for the interiors. In a letter to Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, who was then involved in the furnishing of Blenheim Palace, he wrote 'It is better to have rather more than less than you shall want, for in measuring of the rooms they may be mistaken. Besides, there must be chairs, window curtains and for doors according to the manner of Italy, which looks very handsome' (F. Lenygon, Decoration in England, London, 1914, p. 216).
The remarkably well-preserved silk-velvet upholstery appears to be late 17th or early 18th Century and may well be original. This would suggest that the canapé and chairs were possibly acquired by Sir Philip Sassoon in the great English country house dispersals that took place between the wars - and he is known, for instance to have bought the Kiveton suite at the Hornby Castle sale at Christie's, 10 June 1920 (now at Temple Newsam House, Leeds, it is illustrated in C. Gilbert, Furniture at Temple Newsam House and Lotherton Hall, Leeds, 1978, II, no. 322, p. 265). Sadly the catalogues of Hornby Castle and Kimbolton have not produced any concrete leads.