A Swedish 19th century painted and parcel gilt sofa

in the manner of Ephraim Stahl

in the manner of Ephraim Stahl
Each arm support carved with a lion mask above a seated griffin terminal, above an oak-leaf moulded seat frame, on six lotus-leaf clasped and baluster turned fluted tapering legs, with two central square splayed rear legs, the slatted back probably a later replacement, re-decorated, 223cm wide x 79cm deep x 91cm high, (87 1/2in wide x 31in deep x 35 1/2in high)

Two comparable Swedish Empire sofas, both attributed to Ephraim Stahl, sold Christie's, New York, 6 June 2011, A Park Avenue Interior by Mark Hampton, lot 38 and more recently Christie's, New York, 28 April - 7 May 2020, The Collector: English and European 18th and 19th Century Furniture, lot 202.

The present lot appears to follow the design of sofas, chairs and settees made during the early 19th century by the renowned Swedish cabinet maker Ephraim Stahl (d.1820), who served as 'Master of the Stockholm Furniture Makers Guild'. Stahl delivered similar pieces for the courts of King Gustav IV Adolf, Karl XIII and Karl XIV Johan, and such furniture can be found in a number of royal Swedish residences, such as the Royal Palace in Stockholm and the castles of Gripsholm, Tullgarn, and Rosersberg.