A REGENCY MAHOGANY LIBRARY BERGERE, EARLY 19TH CENTURY

A REGENCY MAHOGANY LIBRARY BERGEREPROBABLY IRISH, EARLY 19TH CENTURYUpholstered in buttoned crimson Morocco leather, the scrolled back and reeded downcurved arms with rosette clasps above a loose cushion, the seat rails carved with stylised Greek key on sabre legs with strigil panels and brass castors92cm high, 68cm wide, 85cm deepProvenance:The Earls of Rosse, Birr Castle, Co. Offaly and by descentThe handsome and imposing library armchair conforms in manyrespects with the prevailing style of the early 19th century andmight easily be attributed to any of the prestigious furniture makers active atthe time, foremost being Gillows of Lancaster and London. However itdisplays features that elevate it from the great majority of conventional Englishpatterns. Both the Greek key decoration on the seat rail and the idiosyncratic reededor strigil panels on the legs appear to have few if any precedents in thisperiod and the latter in particular is so unusual, yet reminiscent of thespiral reeding seen on much Irish, and particularly Cork, furniture, as to confirm that the chair was made in Ireland.Laurence Parsons, 2nd Earl of Rosse (1758 – 1841),was a patriotic statesman, uncompromising opponent of the Act of Union withGreat Britain and staunch supporter of Catholic rights and representation, It’s highly likely that he would have favoured an Irish maker whencommissioning furniture for the newly Gothicised Burr Castle, the most likelycandidates being the Dublin firms of Gillingtons or Mack, Williams &Gibton. Much Regency furniture remains in the house today.

Condition
Good, structurally secure, with wear and tear consistent with age and use. There are minor old dents marks and scratches and shrinkage cracks. The red morocco leather upholstery is in good condition and undamaged. The chair fitted on both arms with brass brackets for a reading arm (not present).

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£25,000.00
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£500,000.00
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£500,000.00