Lot Essay
This stool is part of a suite from Wentworth Woodhouse of which eight side chairs and two settees were sold from Wentworth Woodhouse at Christie's London (Spencer House) on 15 July 1948, lot 62. What were almost certainly the eight side chairs were sold again by the Hon. Mrs Brian Rootes, in these Rooms, 8 February 1973, lot 483, and one of these is illustrated above. One of the settees is in an English private collection and has a serpentine toprail and padded arm on scrolled mahogany supports. The following lot in the 1948 sale was three armchairs of this pattern: these are almost certainly the pair exhibited by Norman Adams at the Antique Dealers' Fair that year and possibly also the single armchair sold without provenance from the Henle collection, Sotheby's London, 6 February 1998, lot 91.
A suite of exactly the same model was first recorded at Hackwood Park, Hampshire in 1905. Three side chairs were sold in the Hackwood Park house sale, 20-22 April 1998, lots 119-120, and one of these is illustrated above. The suite was not recorded in the 18th century inventories of Hackwood and the sale catalogue speculated that it might have come from the 5th Duke of Bolton's London house. In the light of the Wentworth Woodhouse connection, it seems more likely the Hackwood suite came from Bolton Hall, the Bolton family's seat in Yorkshire, and that both suites were supplied by Wright and Elwick. In 1905, the year of the inventory at Hackwood in which they are first recorded, the Bolton family had recently been in residence at Hackwood following a fire at Bolton Hall. A move of some furniture seems likely.
A suite of exactly the same model was first recorded at Hackwood Park, Hampshire in 1905. Three side chairs were sold in the Hackwood Park house sale, 20-22 April 1998, lots 119-120, and one of these is illustrated above. The suite was not recorded in the 18th century inventories of Hackwood and the sale catalogue speculated that it might have come from the 5th Duke of Bolton's London house. In the light of the Wentworth Woodhouse connection, it seems more likely the Hackwood suite came from Bolton Hall, the Bolton family's seat in Yorkshire, and that both suites were supplied by Wright and Elwick. In 1905, the year of the inventory at Hackwood in which they are first recorded, the Bolton family had recently been in residence at Hackwood following a fire at Bolton Hall. A move of some furniture seems likely.