A FINE EARLY GEORGE III MAHOGANY LIBRARY ARMCHAIR POSSIBLY IRISH, CHIPPENDALE PERIOD, C.1760 the arched back above slightly scrolled and outswept arms with flowerhead terminals and moulded supports, the dished, stuffed-over seat above cabriole front legs and swept and slightly twisted back legs, carved with vines, anthemions and flowerheads, on scroll feet Provenance Henry Spencer & Sons, A Sale at Chatsworth, Derbyshire, 5-6th December 1957, lot 240 where described as: 'A Chippendale mahogany elbow armchair of the most elegant proportions. Grooved & channelled arms terminating in rosettes and supported on slender cabriole legs with scroll ears and carved at the knees with anthemiums ending in volute feet. The seat, back and armpads covered in worn crimson-silk damask.' Bought by R. Shaftoe, 17-18 Regent Parade, Harrogate, from whom bought by the current vendors. Literature D.Cowie (ed.), International Antiques Yearbook Encyclopedia & Directory, 1963-64, p.689 where illustrated covered in the 'worn crimson-silk damask' as mentioned in the Henry Spencer catalogue. Catalogue Note Correspondence with the Curator of Chatsworth suggests this chair may have been brought into the Chatsworth Collection rather than being commissioned by the Devonshire Family. The Henry Spencer sale in which it was sold was described as an 'odds and ends' auction of furnishings of lesser rooms in which the children of the Duke lived. The grapevine decoration on the legs is reminiscent of a suite of chairs made for Thomas and Lady Louisa Connolly for Castletown, Co. Kildare. See The Knight of Glin and James Peill, Irish Furniture, pp.122-123 pls. 166 and 167.