A Rare George II Comb Back Windsor Armchair

Although not totally unique – I have seen one other. The well-shaped cabriole legs terminate in a “hoof” foot carved with a hock and feathers around the hoof.

The legs are joined by a turned “H” stretcher and support a dished saddle seat made from a single board of wonderfully grained elm. Above the seat, the central shaped splat is morticed into the curved arms and flanked by tapering spindles with rectangular uprights which support a very well-shaped “comb” or crest rail.

The chair is made in fruit wood, with elm seat, and bears traces of the original paint, most noticeably at the top of the centre splat.

This very rare and outstanding chair is attributed to the Thames Valley and made around 1720-40.

There are certain characteristics – crest rail, centre splat and arm supports – which are shared with a chair in Bernard D Cotton’s book, The English Regional Chair, page 46, figure TV16.

Height 39 inches, width across the arms 25.5 inches, depth 23 inches.

Ref 2156