A small Georgian style fiddleback carver, the chair with a…
click the photo to enlarge
A small Georgian style fiddleback carver, the chair with a shaped back and a large vasiform splat, curvaceous arms to a drop in upholstered seat, raised on cabriole legs with relief carved knees terminating in pad feet. Height 73 cm, width 46 cm, depth 39 cm

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.
  • Cabriole Leg - The cabriole leg evolved from an elongated scroll, curving out at the knee which may or may not be carved, and forming a serpentine shape as it descends to the foot.

    First introduced into English furniture in the late 17th century, cabriole legs were widely used during the Queen Anne and early Georgian periods, where they frequently terminated in a pad foot or ball and claw foot. The style has had many imitators since then. The cabriole leg was re-introduced in the mid-19th century, and is commonly associated with the balloon-back dining or drawing-room chairs made in walnut, mahogany or, in Australia, cedar. The Victorian cabriole leg, on the whole, was rather more slender than the earlier form, following the French style, which emphasized the delicacy and daintiness of the chairs they were designed to support. Cabriole legs are sometimes found on windsor chairs, especially those made during the 18th century.
  • Drop in Seat - Mostly used on Regency upright chairs, a drop in (or "drop on") seat is an unsprung removable seat where the upholstery is attached to a wooden frame, which is held in place by the sides of the chair, and usually a wooden peg at the front of the chair. An inset upholstered seat is of the same construction, but it sits within a frame whose perimeter includes four sides of the chair.

    Because the upholstery frame was not very deep, the seats were relatively uncomfortable. In the mid 19th century coiled upholstery springs came into use and frame of the chair was used as the upholstery frame, making for a much more comfortable and responsive seat.

    This type of seat was known as an over-upholstered or over-stuffed seat.
  • 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.
  • Fiddleback - A name given to the pattern of the grain in some timbers, where the lines of the grain are compressed and at the same time wavy. Fiddleback grain is prized as a timber for furniture and musical instruments, and is expensive becasue of its scarcity.

    In Australia fiddleback graining is found in blackwood. Other non-native timbers that are sometimes found with a fiddleback grain are mahogany and maple.
  • Georgian - As an English stylistic period, Georgian is usually taken to cover the period from George I (1714) to the Regency of Prince George (1811-20), although the period from 1800 to 1830 is sometimes designated as the Regency period. During the Georgian period the great English cabinetmakers and designers such as Chippendale, Hepplewhite, Adam Sheraton etc., were all active.

    Therefore there isn't a single 'Georgian style' as such and to say something is 'Georgian', usually means it was made between 1714 and 1830. This assumes we discount George V and George VI, both being from the 20th century.

    The styles popular at the time of each reign were:

    George I (1714-1727) saw out the last years of the Baroque period.

    George II (1727-1760) reigned during the Rococo period.

    George III (1760-1820) saw the last gasp of the Rococo, all of the early Neo-Classic 'Adam style' and most of the later neo-Classic 'Regency style'.

    George IV (Prince Regent 1820-1830)encompassed the last of the 'Regency' style.

    William IV's reign (1830-1837) was something of a no man's land (stylistically) and he wasn't a 'George' anyway. He covered the last glimmerings of 'Regency' and the start of the 'Victorian' style.
  • Pad Foot - In furniture design, a pad foot refers to a type of

    furniture foot that is shaped like a flattened ball or pad. It is a common

    design element in traditional furniture styles, particularly in English and

    American furniture from the 18th and 19th centuries. The pad foot is typically

    wider than it is tall, with a broad, flat surface that rests directly on the

    floor. It is often carved or turned with decorative details, such as fluting or

    ridges, and can be made from a variety of materials, such as wood, metal, or

    leather.



    Pad feet are used to support the legs of various types of

    furniture, such as chairs, tables, and cabinets. They are often used in

    combination with other types of feet, such as bun feet or bracket feet, to

    create a more complex and decorative furniture design. In terms of

    functionality, pad feet provide stability and support to furniture pieces, and

    can help distribute the weight of the piece evenly across the floor. In terms

    of design, they add a classic and traditional look to furniture designs, and

    are often used to create a sense of elegance and refinement.

This item has been included into following indexes:

Visually similar items

A fine George I walnut open armchair, early 18th century, with scroll top-rail and drop-in seat, on cabriole legs headed with protruding scrolls

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

A Dutch Baroque walnut chair, early 18th century, with typical Queen Anne styling, having a long rectangular shaped back with a vasiform splat above a serpentine shaped apron with a drop in seat and raised on cabriole legs terminating in hoof feet, profuse

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

An unusual Japanese five leg hardwood chair, early 20th century, with incurving side supports and straight back, 112 cm high, 82.5 cm wide and 49 cm deep

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

A good pair of George II carved red walnut side chairs, circa 1745 each with shaped solid splats and cabriole legs with acanthus carving to knees

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