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A RARE CHARLES II OAK PANEL BACKED ARMCHAIR. NAMED "THOMAS BRADBERRY".

A RARE CHARLES II OAK PANEL BACKED ARMCHAIR. NAMED "THOMAS BRADBERRY".

THIS RARE 17TH CENTURY ARMCHAIR WITH A A LOZENGE CARVED PANEL WITH A SCROLL PENNANT TO EACH TERMINAL AND WHORLS TO EACH CORNER, THE CRESTING RAIL CARVED WITH THE NAME "THOMAS BRADBERRY" FLANKED ON EACH UPRIGHT BY S.W. THE DOWNSWEPT ARMS SUPPORTED BY BOBBIN TURNED SUPPORTS REPEATING INTO THE FRONT LEGS UNTITED BY STRETCHERS. CIRCA 1670.

A 1697 will for a Thomas Bradbury, living at Bottoms, Taxal, Cheshire, records his occupation as a tanner. The Taxal address is fascinating, as a remarkable pair of chairs, carved with two names, and commemorated the marriage of Francis and Ellen Heathcot, at St. James Church, Taxal, in 1678. It is possible this was carved at the same workshop as the 'marriage' pair. A further highly similar chair, this time carved with the name and date 'THOMAS KYRKE 1680' is illustrated Victor Chinnery, Oak Furniture: The British Tradition (1993), p. 63, fig. 2:21. Whilst ignoring the virtually identical 'font' used for the carved names on all the chairs, comparisons can still be drawn over the design of the leg turnings, the crenellated seat rails and the profile of the cresting.

THIS CHAIR IS ALMOST CERTAINLY RELATED TO THE OTHER NAMED EXAMPLES FROM THIS AREA. Eg THE PAIR OF MARRIAGE WAINSCOTS IN OUR INVENTORY STOCK NO 1550,SEE IMAGE ATTACHED, NAMED AND DATED FRANCIS AND ELLEN HEATHCOT 1678. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS THE MARY KYRKE EXAMPLE IN THE ATTACHED IMAGE ALMOST CERTAINLY WIFE OF THOMAS KYRKE AS SEEN IN VICTOR CHINNERY.

STOCK NO 1680.