A Rare and Refined George III Mahogany Double Chair-Back Settee

English, circa 1755

This rare and elegant early George III period double chair-back settee is a fine example of mid-18th century English furniture design, constructed in richly patinated mahogany. Its form and detailing are closely aligned with the early aesthetic promoted by Thomas Chippendale, whose seminal 1754 publication The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director helped define the visual language of the period. The settee’s restrained yet refined silhouette, combined with sophisticated Gothic ornamentation, reflects the emerging taste for pointed arches, trefoils, and architectural tracery that flourished in elite interiors of the time.

The crisply carved serpentine top rails rise gracefully above two exquisitely pierced backs, each articulated with interlaced fretwork and pointed arches, crowned by trefoils. Particularly noteworthy is the rare inclusion of a carved shell motif at the centre of each back, a decorative flourish more typically associated with Rococo design, here subtly reinterpreted within Chippendales design framework. The foliate ear terminals that frame each splat add a further touch of sculptural finesse, testifying to the hand of a skilled carver working in a top London workshop.

The settee is upholstered in vibrant 18th-century floral needlework, the presence of period needlework, with its rich colours and intricate design, lends the piece both visual distinction and historical depth, significantly enhancing its rarity and general appeal.

With its harmonious combination of architectural Gothic elements, subtle Rococo accents, and fine quality mahogany  this settee embodies the design vocabulary of the 1750s. Pieces of such scale, condition, and refined execution are increasingly scarce.