A Charles II joined oak 'Durham' panel-back open armchair, circa 1670


The characteristic cresting rail with one large central and two small demi-circles, each filled with a carved stylized plant, and spaced by two pointed projections carved with a quatrefoil motif, the back panel carved with a floral-filled lozenge, with a punched-decorated border and a small rosette-roundel to each corner, their design repeated to the top of each upright and both shaped ears, the broad and run-moulded lower back rail above a small opening, the slender downswept arms with scroll-ends, raised on baluster-turned front supports, the seat of two boards above run-moulded rails, raised on baluster-turned front legs, joined all round by outer edge moulded stretchers, restorations, 59.5cm wide x 56cm deep x 116cm high, (23in wide x 22in deep x 45 1/2in high)
|Literature:See Tobias Jellinek, Early British Chair and Seats 1500 to 1700 (2009) pp. 179 - 181, for a chapter devoted entirely to 'Durham Armchairs'. The author lists the chairs separately due to their unique nature of being 'certainly made in one particular workshop, and possibly by one craftsman; no other group of chairs can be specified in this way'. At the time of publication only twelve Durham armchairs, with another reputedly at Knole House, were recorded.