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The Speaker's chair from the first Australian Federal…
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Sydney
Date:
2-Nov-2020
Lot No.
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Description:
The Speaker's chair from the first Australian Federal Parliament after a design by Charles Pasley (1824?1890), the fiddleback blackwood frame richly carved to the centre of the top rail with a circular panel flanked by foliate scrolls above an upholstered back and seat, the scrolled and paneled sides with a central circular reserve flanked by relief carved scroll panels on arched legs, the armrests with richly scrolled terminals and front legs with relief carved spandrels, the back paneled and moulded. Maker's stamp of Charles Johnston & Co. Gertrude St Fitzroy 'European Labour Only', circa 1900, height 110 cm, width 80 cm, depth 80 cm. Other Notes: the original Speaker's chair from the first Parliament of a federated Australia, and used at the opening ceremony by the Duchess of York, later Queen Mary. The speaker, Sir Frederick holder claimed the chair as a prerequisite of office, officiating from the chair over the first Federal Parliaments until his death in 1909. The original design drawings by Thomas Chuck dated 26th August 1856 for the Speaker's chair in the Victorian state Parliament survive, this design being reused by Charles Johnston & Co for this chair manufactured for use in the first Federal Parliament. For a more detailed history of the chair and its precedent, see the article by J. B. Hawkins 'The Australian Federal Parliament and the Speaker's Chair' furniture history, Vol. 37 (2001), pp. 121-134, condition: overall condition good, consistent with age and use, good patination and excellent depth of colour to the blackwood, three filled fixing holes to the roundel in the top rail of the seat back where something has been removed. Some wear on the roundel to the right hand side below armrest. Seat rails and corner braces appear to be later replacements, the back panel is made from separate sections of wood and these are separating, also there is a small crack to the left hand side of the centre panel.The side panels are also separating slightly, there is an old filled crack to the front apron just to the left of the centre join, and a crack to the right hand spandrel.
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Unclassified