George II Thames Valley Windsor Armchair

A rare George II period fruitwood and elm comb back Windsor armchair attributed to John Pitt of Slough; the yoke shaped fruitwood stay-rail above a heart shaped splat and turned spindles; having a generous elm saddle-seat and raised on cabriole legs united by a turnded H-stretcher and terminating in pad feet. Various old repairs. Retaining an excellent colour and patination.

This wonderful windsor armchair can clearly be ascribed to the workshop of John Pitt of Slough. The yoke back, vasiform splat, number of spindles coupled with flattened arm supports and the shaping of the cabriole legs are identical to a windsor armchair bearing Pitt's label. John Pitt is the earliest documented windsor chair maker and was buried at Upton-cum-Chaveley in 1759.

Literature:

Bernard D. Cotton (1990) The English Regional Chair pp44-45 fig. TV14

A related armchair was recently sold by Bonhams: The Olive Collection, lot 21 attributed to John Pitt and Richard Hewett.