A set of five Victorian carved oak and button upholstered si...

A set of five Victorian carved oak and button upholstered side chairs, mid 19th century,: possibly by J.G. Crace after a design by A.W.N. Pugin, the rectangular backrests and seats with later green leather coverings, the uprights all with imbricated laurel carved in recessed relief, the octagonal section columnar legs united by chamfered H form stretchers, the front feet carved with rosettes above castors, 89cm high, 50cm wide *Provenance. Previously the property of the Blackstone family of Co. Antrim and latterly of the Porphyry Hall, Place House, Fowey, Cornwall *Notes These chairs bear very distinct similarities to chairs supplied to the Palace of Westminster by Gillow and Holland amongst others. They are however more detailed than the 'Portcullis Chairs' commonly found in both the Commons and the Lords, having much more in common with a 'Press Armchair' in the Commons, which has almost identical relief carved rosettes and other features. Certainly a set of chairs previously at Leighton Hall, whose interiors were entrusted to Crace utilising designs by Pugin, are virtually identical to those in this lot.