A set of six William IV flame mahogany spade back dining chairs,…
click the photo to enlarge
A set of six William IV flame mahogany spade back dining chairs, each with a lyre back splat, above fluted front legs, seat upholstery in poor condition. provenance: estate of lady Casey

You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.

Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item

When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

This item has been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.
  • William Iv - William IV was King of the United Kingdom and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837, and in English furniture design it represented the brief period between the end of the Regency period, and the beginning of the Victorian period.
  • Lyre Motif - The lyre motif is an ancient decorative design that is believed to have originated in ancient Greece, where the lyre was a popular musical instrument. The lyre itself was often decorated with ornate carvings and designs, including the iconic lyre motif.

    In ancient Greek mythology, the lyre was associated with the god Apollo, who was the patron of music and the arts. The lyre was said to have been invented by the god Hermes, who presented it to Apollo as a gift. As a result, the lyre became a symbol of creativity, inspiration, and artistic expression.

    The lyre motif typically features a curved or S-shaped body, with strings extending upwards from the base. The motif was often used in architectural decoration, as well as on pottery, jewellery, and other decorative objects.
  • Lyre - Attributed to the 18th century designer Robert Adam, the back splat of a chair or sthe supports of a table are in the form of a lyre, a Greek musical instrument similar to a harp.

    In shape it resembles two reversed scrolls.

    Chairs continued to be made in this style for at least the next fifty years.

    In Australia many cedar chairs and tables have survived dating to the 1830s and 1840s, featuring the lyre shape in the back splats and as supports for small tables.
  • Splat - The central back support between the top rail and the seat in chairs and couches. They may take a variety of forms, and run either horizontally or vertically.
  • Back Splat - The vertical or horizontal piece that joins the back to the seat, or between the two sides of the chair. The back splat stabilises and adds additional strength to the back.
  • Fluting - A form of decoration found on many pieces of furniture, as well as ceramics, silver and clocks, in which round-bottomed grooves, of varying width and depth, are let into columns, pilasters, legs. As a general rule, flutes are cut in the vertical, though they may follow a turned leg in a spiral pattern. In cross-section, they may be described as a series of 'U' shapes, rising and narrowing at each end of the groove. Fluting is the opposite of reeding, with which fluting is often associated.
  • Mahogany - Mahogany is a dense, close grained red-coloured timber from the West Indies and Central America. It was first imported into Europe in the the early 18th century and its use continued through the 19th century. It was popular for furniture making because of its strength, the wide boards available, the distinctive grain on some boards, termed flame mahogany and the rich warm colour of the timber when it was polished.. The "flame" was produced where a limb grew out from the trunk of the tree, and this timber was usually sliced into veneers for feature panels on doors, backs and cornices.

    Some terms used to describe mahogany relate to the country from which it originally came, such as "Cuban" mahogany, "Honduras" mahogany etc. However unless the wood has been tested the names assigned are more a selling feature, rather than a true indication of the timber's origin.
  • Provenance - A term used to describe the provable history of an antique or work of art, and thus an additional aid to verifying its authenticity. Provenance can have an inflating effect on the price of an item, particularly if the provenance relates to the early settlement of Australia, a famous person, or royalty. Less significant are previous sales of the item through an auction house or dealer.

This item has been included into following indexes:

Visually similar items

An Edwardian rosewood Sheraton style hall chair c.1910. The chair is decorated with boxwood and marquetry inlay to the back with an upholstered velvet seat. Height 84 cm

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

A pair of Victorian rail back chairs

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

A set of six Victorian mahogany framed dining chairs with cane seats, each with turned front legs

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

A pair of William IV tablet back mahogany chairs of generous proportion, English 19th century

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.