It is believed that this plain chair was part of a large set of twenty 'Mahogany parlour chairs covered with horse hair and double brass naild at 25/- each' and the armchair part of a set four 'Elbow chairs to match' costing £3.10s.0d. A 'pair of very neat mahogany dining tables' were also supplied at the same time and it is possible that these chairs were supplied as part of the dining furniture at Nostell Priory.
Prior to 1760 little emphasis had been placed on the dining room as a State reception room and Adam was the first to introduce specially designed furniture. Although Chippendale quickly adopted more lavish and stately furniture as part of his dining room repertoire, he was still constrained by his clients wishes. In 1766 it was probably still appropriate for a more utilitarian character to be used in the dining room, thus explaining the plain style of this set.
Parlour Chair & Armchair
1766
Nostell Priory (The National Trust)
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