Each back panel finely carved with a highly stylised plant issuing pairs of lotus and daisy flowers beneath pointed, crescent-shaped leaves, surmounted by a triple-arcaded profiled cresting carved *Francis Heathcot 1678* above *Ellen Heathcot*, each Christian name and surname, together with the date, contained within a scallop-carved frame. The remaining cresting gauge-carved throughout, the downswept open arms with incised linear-edge decoration, the boarded seats above lower-edge crenelated and channel-moulded rails, raised on multiple ring-turned front legs and conforming arm supports, joined by plain stretchers. 70cm wide x 52cm deep x 111cm high Footnotes Provenance Marriage registers record that Francis Heathcot[e] married Heallen [Ellen] Lowe on 15 May 1678 at St James' Church, Taxal, Cheshire. Her father's name was John Lowe, while Francis Heathcot's address is recorded as Ringstones. At the baptism of their daughter Alise on 5 February 1680, the family's address was recorded as 'Ringstone'. Two further daughters were baptised at the same church: Anne, on 8 April 1682, and Mary, on 21 May 1684. The will of Francis Heathcoat of Taxal, Cheshire, records his occupation as yeoman and notes that he owned lands in the parishes of Chapel-le-Frith, Green Fairfield and Hartington, Derbyshire. The profits from these lands were left to his daughters Alice, Anne, Mary and Sarah, and to his sons John, Rowland and George. A further daughter, Elizabeth, is mentioned as being married to 'my son-in-law Michael Heathcott'. His goods and estates — unfortunately not specifically listed — were to be divided between his wife and his daughters Alice, Anne, Mary and Sarah. His executors were Thomas Mellor of Chapel-le-Frith and William Brock of Oldfield in Taxal. Peter Legh of Lyme, Esquire — of Lyme Park — and John Shallcross of Shallcross, Esquire, were appointed overseers. At the time Francis made his will, dated 12 February 1693/4, he and Ellen were still husband and wife. Francis had died by the end of 1694. It is possible that Francis and Ellen's son, Rowland Heathcot, was the father of Michael Heathcot, who served as Groom of the Pantry and Yeoman of the Mouth (food taster) to King George II. **Literature:** A small selection of furniture branded or carved with the owner's initials or name is illustrated and discussed in Victor Chinnery, *Oak Furniture: The British Tradition* (1993), pp. 57–63. Chinnery notes that items of furniture carved with a full name and date are predominantly attributed to the North Country and illustrates two relevant examples of seat furniture on p. 63, fig. 2:21. The first is an oak backstool or side chair, with a rare box seat, carved to the back panel *Dorothy Garrard 1685*. The lettering employed on the backstool bears distinct similarities to that found on the present chairs, with the inscription likewise contained within a scallop-edged surround. Furthermore, both 'Dorothy' and 'Garrard' are flanked by a single flowerhead, highly suggestive of the flower used to ornament the back ears of one of the present chairs. The second illustrated example is a panel-back armchair carved *Thomas Kyrke 1680*. Its general form and design show notable similarities to the present pair, particularly the triple cusped profile to the top of the cresting and its short downswept scroll ends; the form of the ears; the crenelations to the front seat rail; and the relative simplicity of the stretchers when compared with the more elaborate treatment of the other elements. The multiple ring-turning of the supports on both illustrated chairs, although differing in detail, is also worthy of comparison. This pair previously sold Bonhams, The Oak Interior: including The Danny Robinson Collection 22 January 2014 Ex US Collection. Condition: An amazing pair of chair, great colour and patina, crack to the front of one of the seats, otherwise in good order. Category: Furniture/Armchairs & Chairs Estimate: 15000-20000 GBP