Lawrence Dundas made a fortune in the logistics of the British army in Flanders during the Seven Years' War. He was named a Baronet in 1762 without waiting for the end of the war and was nicknamed the Nabob of the North, no doubt by reference to his Scottish origin.
The new baronet buys and arranges several sumptuous residences, thus giving work to all the best British architects and cabinetmakers of his time. He does not refuse any style as long as it is luxurious and he highly appreciates the Palladian architecture and the decorative art of the Gobelins.
Dundas acquires in London a mansion very strategically located in Arlington Street in the business district. To enlarge this house to his taste he calls on the architect Robert Adam who was a great connoisseur of ancient architecture after a long stay in Rome. To ensure the most perfect harmony between architecture and furnishing, he commissions Adam to design the furniture.
The drawings of the sophas (according to the spelling of that time) and armchairs were made by Adam for Dundas in July 1764. They have been preserved. The manufacture of these seats and of several other pieces of furniture is ordered to Thomas Chippendale. The designs of the Adam seats are similar to a figure prepared in 1759 by Chippendale and included in the third issue of his catalog in 1762.
Chippendale's suite of seats made in 1765 for Arlington Street's great room is composed of two pairs of sofas and eight armchairs sculpted in an abundant style inspired by bas-reliefs of Roman sarcophagi including sphinges and griffins. The set was separated in 1934.
The two pairs of sofas have a different width. An example 252 cm wide was sold for £ 2.17M including premium by Christie's on June 18, 2008. It had retained traces of its original gilding. In the same sale a pair of armchairs from the same suite was sold for £ 2.3M including premium.
The pair of shorter 218 cm sofas was dissociated in 1997. These two seats are estimated £ 2M each for sale by Christie's in London on July 5, lot 15 and lot 16. They are discussed by Christie's in the video shared and commented by Antiques Trade Gazette.
both unsold
The new baronet buys and arranges several sumptuous residences, thus giving work to all the best British architects and cabinetmakers of his time. He does not refuse any style as long as it is luxurious and he highly appreciates the Palladian architecture and the decorative art of the Gobelins.
Dundas acquires in London a mansion very strategically located in Arlington Street in the business district. To enlarge this house to his taste he calls on the architect Robert Adam who was a great connoisseur of ancient architecture after a long stay in Rome. To ensure the most perfect harmony between architecture and furnishing, he commissions Adam to design the furniture.
The drawings of the sophas (according to the spelling of that time) and armchairs were made by Adam for Dundas in July 1764. They have been preserved. The manufacture of these seats and of several other pieces of furniture is ordered to Thomas Chippendale. The designs of the Adam seats are similar to a figure prepared in 1759 by Chippendale and included in the third issue of his catalog in 1762.
Chippendale's suite of seats made in 1765 for Arlington Street's great room is composed of two pairs of sofas and eight armchairs sculpted in an abundant style inspired by bas-reliefs of Roman sarcophagi including sphinges and griffins. The set was separated in 1934.
The two pairs of sofas have a different width. An example 252 cm wide was sold for £ 2.17M including premium by Christie's on June 18, 2008. It had retained traces of its original gilding. In the same sale a pair of armchairs from the same suite was sold for £ 2.3M including premium.
The pair of shorter 218 cm sofas was dissociated in 1997. These two seats are estimated £ 2M each for sale by Christie's in London on July 5, lot 15 and lot 16. They are discussed by Christie's in the video shared and commented by Antiques Trade Gazette.
both unsold
In the 300th anniversary year of the birth of #ThomasChippendale, we will celebrate the genius of his designs and the perfection of his execution with our dedicated sale on 5 July. It will present 22 lots with estimates ranging from £5,000 to £5 million: https://t.co/43Q7jgtadN pic.twitter.com/iqIvtSHLxS
— Christie's (@ChristiesInc) June 5, 2018
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