16th Century Ash Yew and Oak Turner’s Armchair

A superb and exceptionally rare turner’s armchair of triangular form, constructed in ash and yew with an oak seat. The chair displays a remarkable profusion of applied turnings — baluster, bobbin, and ball forms — rhythmically arranged across the back and arms, supported by boldly turned front columns and triangular stretchers centering on a finial. The craftsmanship demonstrates the virtuosity of the turner’s lathe, creating a sculptural interplay of light and shadow that epitomises late Tudor and early Stuart taste.
Chairs of this type belong to an elite group, often linked to high-status households in Wales and the West of England. Their robust form, combined with elaborate turnings, suggest they functioned both as practical seating and as visible statements of authority within the household hall.
A very closely related example, traditionally known as the “President’s Chair,” is preserved at Harvard University, USA, and has long been considered one of the earliest and most important survivals of British seating furniture. The present chair, from the same circle of workshops, represents a rare opportunity to acquire an armchair of such historical resonance and sculptural quality.