Rare Pair of William IV, Sir William Playfair-designed, Scottish, Oak Hall chairs

Circa 1832. Rare Pair of William IV, Sir William Playfair-designed Scottish, Figured Oak Hall chairs. The oval backs with a central crest and peripheral acanthus scrolling, above a further small crest flanked by Rococo C scrolls. The large serpentine-fronted, solid seats over fluted seat rails supported on tapering turned front legs and outswept rear supports. See details below of a near identical chair in the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh.

William Henry Playfair, architect of the College of Surgeons Edinburgh building, completed in 1832, thought it important that unsuitable or inappropriate furniture should not detract from the quality of the buildings. To this end, on 13th February 1832, with the College building nearing completion, a “Furniture Committee” was appointed. The cabinetmaking for the new furniture was put on tender and a contract was awarded to John Burke. Many of the items on the ground floor of the College (including the hall chair below) were designed by Playfair, built by Burke and are still in excellent condition. Playfair’s original drawings of the building and furniture are in the College Library, all dated February and March 1832.