Penrose Antiques

Description

We have for sale a very striking elegant but sturdy mahogany inlaid salon armchair by the excellent Yorkshire cabinet maker and joiner William Richardson of 7 Park Lane, Leeds.

This lovely decorative chair has a design loosely based around the Savonarola X frame chair and consists an upholstered shaped back extending to a U shaped upholstered seat with upholstered sides extending upwards and outwards to upholstered scroll arms. The frame of the seat then extends to form outward swept legs. The frame of the chair carries the Ivorine label for W Richardson of 7 Park Lane, Leeds. This label indicates that the chair was made between 1901 and 1908.

The chair is 37.5 inches (90.6cm) high, 25 inches (63.5cm) wide, 17.75 inches (45cm) deep and is in a very good to excellent condition, although it does carry a few minor scuffs and marks commensurate with its age.

About the Manufacturer.

The company W Richardson was founded in 1875 by William Richardson (1851-1902) in Woodsley Road Leeds. By 1901 the business had moved to 7 Park Lane in Leeds where William employed his two sons William Mason Richardson and Thomas Gamble Richardson as Assistant Furniture Dealers. After Williams death in 1902 his sons took over the business and expanded the company so that by 1908 W Richardson was trading out of No 7 and No 12 Park Lane as well as No 8 Centenary Street Leeds. Business was clearly booming and by 1926, the company was trading as Messrs William Richardson had 5 large showrooms in Park Lane. The company eventually ceased trading in the 1930s.