Reading Chair

c. 1725

This mahogany reading chair is covered in red calf-leather.  It has a saddle-like seat with padded back and arms.  Under the arms there are trays that swivel out with divisions for pens, ink and wafers.  There are also two candlesticks, one original the other a later replacement.  The reader sits astride the chair and leans forward to rest upon the arms to read the book on the desk. This position mimics horseback riding, and indeed this chair was intended for fashionable Georgian gentlemen who wished to be able to read in peace without fear of creasing the elaborate frock coats which were the fashion at the time.  The frock coat worn on horseback was spread out so that all the colourful embroidery could be seen and cabinet-makers developed furniture that would echo this.  The reader could sit on this chair like a horse and his coat would then hang neatly behind him. Without desks or writing accessories these chairs were very popular as conversation chairs.  One is believed to have been owned by the poet John Gay.  Such was his love for his chair that he wrote an ode to it entitled ‘To my Chair’.

Chairs