Charles II granted the title Duke of Grafton to his illegitimate son Henry FitzRoy in 1675 who inherited Euston Hall, Suffolk, via his wife, in 1685 from the Earl of Arlington. Euston Hall remains the seat of the Fitzroy's Dukes of Grafton today.
The sedan chair, a form of litter vehicle, is thought to have initially come into use in London in circa 1630 with use reaching its height during the 18th century. Unusually small sedan chairs of this type were popular in the early 18th century when the scale of domestic architecture, especially doorways, was smaller than later in the century. This chair is closely related to an example in the collection at 1 Royal Crescent, Bath, by S & A Fuller of Bath and this example may well be by the same maker. An elaborate ormolu mounted sedan chair of similar form was commissioned for Queen Charlotte in 1763 and remains in the Royal Collection (see, J. Roberts ed. George III & Queen Charlotte, London 2004, p. 268, no. 74.). This sedan chair was occasionally used by Professor Sir Albert Richardson when he was carried out to dinner by liveried footman.

We are grateful to Stephen Loft-Simson for his advice regarding this lot.