ATTRIBUTED TO GILES GRENDEY, CIRCA 1745

THE MAKER: GILES GRENDEY
These chairs are firmly attributed to the workshop of cabinetmaker Giles Grendey (1693-1780) based on virtually identical chairs that bear his workshop's label. Grendey, of St. Johns Square, Clerkenwell, London, supplied a suite with the same characteristic hipped cabriole legs and boldly carved scrolled feet for Gunton Park, Norfolk in 1740-45 (a side chair and armchair are illustrated in P. Macquiod, A History of English Furniture: The Age of Mahogany, London, 1906, vol. II, pp. 122-123, figs. 104, 105 and in C. Gilbert, Pictorial Dictionary of Marked London Furniture 1700-1840, 1996, p. 243, figs. 437, 438).

THE DESIGN
In December 1931, R.W. Symonds referred to Grendey's chair design in an article stating that although the cabinetmaker did not label all of his work, it is in the case of these distinctly carved, hipped cabriole legs on scroll feet 'that one might infer that all chairs and stools with this leg came from Grendey's workshop.' (see: R.W. Symonds, 'More about Labelled Furniture,' The Connoisseur, December, 1931, p. 407, fig. VIII). Two pairs of chairs of essentially the same design were sold from the Estate of Mrs. John E. Rovensky, Parke-Bernet Galleries New York, 16 January 1957, lots 586 and 587. Another chair was sold Sotheby's New York, 13 December 1986, lot 187, and a further pair sold Parke-Bernet Galleries New York, 11 April 1967, lot 171. A further suite formerly in the collection of the 1st Viscount Leverhulme is illustrated in M. Harris & Son, A Catalogue and Index of Old Furniture and Works of Art, vol. II, n.d., p. 200. A wing chair was sold Christie's London, 29 March 1984, lot 82. A group of chairs which shares the characteristic carving to the knees but rests on hairy lion paw feet, includes a pair of armchairs and a library chair illustrated in H. Cescinsky, English Furniture of the Eighteenth Century, vol. II, New York, n.d., p. 86, fig. 82, sold Sotheby's New York, 15 November 1985, lots 43 and 44. Grendey had a prolific career, and while he supplied a number of intrinsic mahogany pieces to the local nobility he was also very involved in the timber and export business. He is probably best known for the extensive suite of scarlet japanned furniture he executed for the Duke of Infantado's castle at Lazcano, Spain (see C. Gilbert, Pictorial Dictionary of Marked London Furniture 1700-1840, 1996, p. 31).