Reindeer Antiques Newsletter - R. W. Symonds: conoisseur and taste maker

After much research I was delighted to discover that two of the pieces in my collection had been published by R. W. Symonds. Symonds was the most influential furniture historian of the early 20th Century advising on the creation of important collections and publishing numerous books on furniture. His book English Furniture from Charles II to George II is full of exceptional furniture from the Percival Griffiths collection. It has had an enduring influence on collectors with one of the pieces illustrated selling recently for almost a million dollars.

The handsome Queen Anne highboy shown below is illustrated as fig. 32 in English Furniture from Charles to George II. The highboy epitomises everything that Symonds looked for in a piece: originality, patination and bold design. All the handles are original and the walnut has acquired a beautiful patination.

The bold George II settee was published by Symonds in an article for Country Life entitled 'Provincial Furniture-Making in Eighteenth Century England'. The settee reflects Symonds's taste for beautifully carved pieces of English and Irish furniture, the arms of the settee are exceptionally well carved.

Both pieces are on display at my Kensington showrooms or alternatively they can be viewed on my website. The website has recently been updated with several new pieces.

Queen Anne walnut highboy chest on stand

1710

Height: 70.75" (180cm)

Depth: 23.5" (60cm)

Width: 41" (104cm)

A handsome Queen Anne walnut veneered chest on stand or highboy; the cross grain veneered cornice above two short and three long graduated drawers; having a cross grain veneered waist moulding and five drawers to the base; raised on carved oak cabriole legs terminating in unusual scrolling feet. The highboy's oak lined drawers are all veneered in walnut, feather banded and retain their original handles. The sides of the highboy are in solid walnut and it retains a superb colour and patination.

This highboy has a full page illustration in one of the most important books of antique walnut furniture: 'English Funiture from Charles II to George II' by R. W. Symonds. R. W. Symonds was the most influential antique furniture historian of the early 20th Century and played a key role in putting together the finest collections of English furniture during this period. Symonds particularly appreciated originality, patination and bold design; features which can clearly be discerned in this walnut highboy.

Ref: BA282

Irish George II settee.

1735

Height: 39.5" (100.5cm)

Depth: 22.5" (57cm)

Width: 63" (160cm)

A beautifully carved George II Irish mahogany chair-back settee; the scrolling top rail centred by an acanthus spray above vase shaped splats and a drop-in seat upholstered in contemporary silk velvet; having outscrolling arms which terminate in wonderful lion masks and raised on cabriole legs which are carved with Green Man faces to the knee and terminate in lion paw feet.

Ref: BA6

Reindeer Antiques Ltd
81 Kensington Church Street, London, W8 4BG, telephone: +44 (0)207 937 3754, Fax: +44(0)207 937 7199
www.reindeerantiques.co.uk