Peter J. Martin and Son Antiques

Description

An elegant and superb quality pair of mid-19th Century mahogany hall chairs, of particularly good weight of timber, having shaped backs, carved cabriole legs to the front and swept sabre legs to the rear. Bears stamp of the eminent maker ‘A. Blain, Liverpool’.

Height (overall) 34” (86cm) Height (seat) 17” (43cm) Width 17” (43cm) Depth 19” (48cm)

About Arthur Blain:
Arthur Blain established his cabinet making business in the William IV period at 35 Paradise Street, Liverpool. The earliest examples are stamped with just ‘A Blain Liverpool’ and the later Victorian pieces carry the ‘A Blain & Sons’ stamp. Arthur Blain died in 1868 when the business was continued by Arthur’s son William Hughes Blain who died in 1909. Their works were recorded in The Dictionary of English Furniture Makers, 1660-1840.

Pieces by Blain were renowned for their quality and level of craftsmanship along with their intricate designs, superbly carried out by skilled cabinet makers. They mainly built their pieces form hardwoods such as mahogany and walnut and beautifully finished the pieces using a hand French polished finish.

Condition & Details of Restoration:
These chairs are in original structural condition. The polish has been revived, by our own craftsmen, by hand in the traditional manner. There are some minor old marks under the polish, commensurate with age, but overall are in quite excellent untouched condition. Often these types of chairs have old repairs to the back where it is joined to the seat as this is a ‘weak spot’ for this type of design fortunately, these chairs bear no such damage or repair.