This rare 17th century armchair with a lozenge carved panel with a scroll pennant to each terminal and whorls to each corner. The cresting rail carved with the name "THOMAS BRADBERRY" flanked on each upright by S.W. The down swept arms supported by bobbin turned supports repeating into the front legs united by stretchers. Circa 1670. 105.4cm high 59.7cm wide 53.3cm deep A 1697 will for a Thomas Bradbury, living at Bottoms, Taxal, Cheshire, records his occupation as a tanner. The Taxal address is fascinating, as a remarkable pair of chairs, carved with two names, and commemorated the marriage of Francis and Ellen Heathcot, at St. James Church, Taxal, in 1678. It is possible this was carved at the same workshop as the ′marriage′ pair. A further highly similar chair, this time carved with the name and date ′THOMAS KYRKE 1680′ is illustrated Victor Chinnery, Oak Furniture: The British Tradition (1993), p. 63, fig. 2:21. Whilst ignoring the virtually identical ′font′ used for the carved names on all the chairs, comparisons can still be drawn over the design of the leg turnings, the crenelated seat rails and the profile of the cresting. Condition: Chair back legs have been reduced in length, old splits to both uprights, a patched repair to the left hand upright near the "S", some play to the chair frame. Category: Furniture/Armchairs & Chairs Estimate: 2000-3000 GBP