
Thomas Moore
Head of Department
Sold for £31,250 inc. premium
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The offered chairs most likely formed part of a suite originally supplied by the cabinet makers Wright and Elwick for Wentworth Woodhouse, Yorkshire, on behalf of Charles, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham (d. 1782). Active as a firm based in Wakefield during the period 1747-71, Wright and Elwick provided a significant amount of the furniture for Wentworth Woodhouse during the 1750s and 1760s.
Among these extensive Wentworth suites, a group of eight side chairs, three armchairs and two settees by Wright and Elwick sold Christie's, London, 15 July 1948, lots 62 and 63, and then the eight side chairs from the original 1948 auction later sold Christie's, London, 8 February 1973, lot 483. Another pair of armchairs sold Sotheby's, New York, 8-9 December 1989, lot 483, and a single example sold Christie's, London, 13 November 1997, lot 69.
In addition to this, a conforming pair sold Christie's, London, 30 November 2000, lot 110, while again a further pair sold Christie's, 19 October 2011, lot 532. And most recently a total of three armchairs of the same model sold Christie's, New York, 9 May 2018, The Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller, Part I, lots 238 and 250.
However the present lot also appears identical to a suite executed by Wright and Elwick for the 5th Duke of Bolton (d. 1765) at either Hackwood Park, Hampshire or the family's Yorkshire residence, Bolton Hall. The reason for such uncertainty is due to this suite not appearing among any 18th century Hackwood Park inventories, consequently it appears these chairs were probably originally supplied to Bolton Hall. Although documented in 1905 as part of an inventory undertaken at Hackwood, it seems the suite had only been relocated, along with the Bolton family, due to a recent fire which had devastated much of Bolton Hall. This furniture then remained in the family collection at Hackwood until William Berry, 1st Viscount Camrose purchased the property and estate in 1935.
Items from the Bolton suite which have sold at auction include three side chairs, Christie's, Hackwood sale, 20-22 April 1998, lots 119-120 and two bergeres apparently sold on behalf of Lord Bolton, Christie's, London, 27 March 1965, lot 17 before the latter were offered again at Christie's, The Collection of the Marquis and Marquise de Ravenel, 21-22 November 2007, lot 162.