Fine Pair of 19th Century French Gothic Oak Open Armchairs - Reupholstered in Distressed Black Leather

A single example in oak, probably part of the same commission and with a paper label reading “Greek Hall” inside the back seat rail is illustrated in the H. Blairman and Sons catalogue for 2006, item 2. A near identical chair in walnut, marked “Jeanselme” is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, new York, and is discussed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, Fall 1996, p.41 The chairs of refined gothic design and exceptional scale and presence. Crafted in oak, the decoration throughout is inspired by architectural detailing, the headrail with a pointed arch design to the centre, flanked by spandrels. Additional spandrels are employed in the decoration of the arm supports and the way that the arms join the back is particularly beautiful, the joint concealed by stylised shell-type carved brackets. The apron of each chair is a riot of gothic tracery on three sides and the front legs of the chairs are designed as carved columns. A tour de force of gothic design and carving, this model of armchair is in fact French and not English as might be expected. French neo-gothic design is much more uncommon than its English equivalent and we are delighted to be able to offer these unusual pieces to our clients. A walnut armchair of near identical design, signed Jeanselme is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and may be viewed online here https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/208209 The chair also retains its exceptional embossed leather gothic upholstery which might inspire the purchaser of our chairs in their choice of upholstery fabric. The great dealers H. Blairman and Sons featured a single armchair in oak, like our pair, in their 2006 catalogue, Martin Levy commenting that the plain red leather upholstery on their chair might well have been original. He attributed his chair to Jeanselme Frères on the basis of the stamp on the Met’s chair and we see no reason whatsoever to question that assessment. Jeanselme Frères (1824-c.1930) Founded in 1824 by brothers Jean-Arnoux and Joseph-Pierre-François, the firm famously acquired the Jacob Desmalter workshop in 1847. The stamp on the Met’s chair was only in use between 1840 and 1853 and it is likely that our chairs were made c.1840. It was in 1841 and earlier that the firm had supplied numerous articles of furniture to the château d’Eu, the furnishings being in the baroque and 17th century style and the present chairs are entirely consistent with this sort of historicist taste. It is therefore likely that they were produced at a contemporary date, probably forming part of one grand commission for a client of importance and stature. A giltwood salon chair by Jeanselme is in the Wallace Collection in London https://wallacelive.wallacecollection.org/eMP/eMuseumPlus?service=direct/1/ResultListView/result.t1.collection_list.$TspTitleImageLink.link&sp=10&sp=Scollection&sp=SfieldValue&sp=0&sp=0&sp=2&sp=SdetailList&sp=0&sp=Sdetail&sp=0&sp=F&sp=T&sp=0 and other pieces by the firm were supplied to the Quai d’Orsay, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Paris.