Webberley Antiques

Description

Superb 18th Century Regence walnut armchair with provenance from the Chateau Ferney-Voltaire.

The armrest carved with leaves and shells, the rails to front and sides carved with a scallop shell. With close nailed embroidered upholstery on cabriole legs united by shaped, finely carved stretchers and terminating in goats hoof feet wrapped in vine leaves. Carved shells to knees with crossed and looped vines.

Of large proportions, comfortable and very robust. The walnut having a particularly lovely colour and patination. Some old worm holes as is usual but long since dead and not significant no later timbers nor significant restorations.

With provenance from a sale of selected contents of the Chateau Ferney-Voltaire at Christies on 21st October 1998. The chair was purchased for £3,680.

The writer and philosopher Voltaire purchased the Chateau in 1758 on his return from the Prussian Court and having been made aware that Louis XV would not welcome him in Paris. He added rooms and furnished the chateau turning it into a productive farm. Voltaire often described himself as the innkeeper of Europe. There was no inn in the village of Ferney and as many as 40 visitors were regularly invited as guests of Voltaire, staying the night and taking dinner at the Chateau.