A pair of George IV rosewood and brass inlaid library bergeres, c1825. By Banting, France & Co. With leaf carved scroll arms on leaf carved turned fore supports terminating in brass castors. 106 cm high x 84 cm wide x 76 cm deep

Frederick William Hervey, 5th Earl of Bristol and subsequently 1st Marquess of Bristol, (1769-1859) for 6 St James`s Square and thence by descent until removed to Ickworth and sold by Frederick William John Augustus Hervey, 7th Marquess of Bristol (1954-1994) and then Lot 132, Sotheby’s 6 July 2011, London

In his article `Furniture in the East Wing at Ickworth' ( Connoisseur, June 1971) and in his catalogue to `Ickworth and the Herveys' ( Bury St Edmunds), the late Edward Joy has dealt comprehensively with the furniture supplied to the 1^st Marquess by Banting, France & Co for Ickworth, Suffolk the family`s country residence and the London residence, 6 St James`s Square and also Lord Bristol`s house at Brighton. The invoices for this outstanding group of late Regency/George IV furniture are in the Hervey papers at the Record Office in Bury St Edmunds. The furniture, now under the ownership of the National Trust can still be seen to a large extent at Ickworth, those items commissioned for St James`s Square being moved there sixty years or so ago. Joy writes in his catalogue introduction ` The firm of Banting was one of the greatest furniture-making firms of the nineteenth century and had royal warrants during the reigns of King George III, George IV, William IV and Queen Victoria'.

The earliest title was Banting, France & Co. at the address 22 Pall Mall, whence they supplied furniture as early as 1813 to the Duke of Sussex in Kensington Palace. They appear in the Windsor Castle archives in the George IV accounts, supplying furniture to the King in 1825. They subsequently made furniture of all kinds for the royal residences, including St. James`s Palace, Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace. At the beginning of Queen Victoria`s reign, the firm moved to 27 St James`s Street which was to remain their permanent address. Their name was variously Thomas and William Banting, Banting & Co. and Banting & Son. The firm gained an honourable mention for their display at the Great Exhibition, London, 1851; their exhibits included a circular marquetry table, a sideboard made from oak grown in Windsor Forest, a satinwood china cabinet, a secrtaire cabinet of kingwood and an oval table of amboyna wood. They also won praise for their exhibits at the Paris Exhibition in1855.

The first record of a relationship between the Bristols and the firm comes in 1810 when Messrs France and Banting of St. James`s Street Haymarket ( as originally called) provided warehousing space for Lord Bristol`s picture collection that they had valued by Francis Spurrier. In 1815 Banting and France- the names had reversed by this date- organised the sale of furniture from 6 St James`s Square ( Suffolf County Records Office 914.81/17). Renovation of the Bristol London home continued for at least three years as seen in the household accounts which, though detailing expenditure of carpets, curtains and even new window frames and furniture mentions no suppliers or tradesmen by name ( S.C.R.O 914.88/5-11), but does mention two sofas and two armchairs in rosewood which could be the present lot.

The present chairs are identical to chairs and sofas in the library of Ickworth and can be seen illustrated in John Martin Robinson, The Regency Country House from the archives of Country Life, London, 2005, pp.120-121.

Bantings` furniture now at Ickworth is of exceptional interest not only because it is the work of a royal cabinet maker but also because it shows high-class English furniture at the very end of the Georgian period. The finest pieces are executed in rosewood and mahogany; the materials used are of superb quality and the craftsmanship is excellent, all of which attributes can be seen in the present lot.

Condition Report

Reupholstered since purchase in 2011

The chairs are generally in good order.

The only thing I would mention is the front legs are very slightly loose and just show a little movement when they are flexed.