Thomas Chippendale at Harewood House. A celebration of the life and work of Thomas Chippendale - Master Furniture Maker. Presented by Harewood House Trust.

Library Steps
c.1772
The Earl & Countess of Harewood, & the Trustees of the Harewood House Trust

Made en suite with the Library Writing Table these steps have a mahogany carcass and are similarly veneered in rosewood and inlaid with various exotic woods in the Neo-classical style. It is not recorded in Chippendale's bill, but it is known that his foreman outworker, William Reid, spent several days at Harewood "makeing covers for the Library Table & Stool". It is unlikely that Chippendale would supply covers for a piece not of his making.

The stool opens out to reveal a set of folding steps with a hand rest extension and the lower tread pulls forward by means of a tambour slide. Chippendale supplied a similar set of steps to Sir Rowland Winn at Nostell Priory, which is of a plainer design and does not incorporate the marquetry work seen here. The decorative motifs; rosette, ribboned swags and anthemion; can all be found echoed in Robert Adam's design for the ceiling and it is probable that the colours of the woods, now faded and subdued, were also repeated throughout the room.

Although of in-genius construction, the workmanship found in the marquetry is not of the highest standard, as seen in the inlaid furniture made for the grander principal rooms at Harewood. This reflects its more practical purpose and the functional nature of the library in the eighteenth century.

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