The challenge of finding the right furniture for the Pompeii Room has been to find a set of chairs that are neoclassic — either klismos chairs or a style that was inspired by klismos chairs.
As I mentioned in an earlier posting,
here, my friend Sandy and I have been visiting a monthly brocante in our town of St. Petersburg, Florida. When we saw these chairs several months ago, Sandy agreed with me that they would be perfect for the Pompeii Room, so much so that she insisted on gifting me with them!!
The chairs came with this mustard yellow paint rubbed on them, which I suppose was meant to make them attractive in a "shabby chic" sort of way. The gaudy color probably worked in my favor because I guess that a lot of people could not see past it to recognize the chairs' wonderful details.
Each chair has a rope twist decoration and a handsome brass medallion, and therein lies a story:
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| www.neptunepictues.com |
In 1805, Admiral Lord Nelson won the Battle of Trafalgar, destroying 22 ships of the Franco-Spanish fleet, and without losing a single British ship. It was Britain's greatest naval victory, and one in which the great admiral lost his life.
The victory, plus Nelson's heroic death, inspired a British craze of all things naval, and that in turn impacted the neoclassic style that was sweeping both Britain and the Continent at the time.
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| 1stdibs.com |
The rope twist decoration (usually seen with elements called buttons) is actually a reference to the Royal Navy and the Battle of Trafalgar!
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| click to enlarge | 1stdibs.com | wakefieldscearce.com | 1stdibs.com |
Here are three Regency chairs of similar design, each with the rope twist decoration and buttons that are also featured on my chairs. You can click on the image to see the details.
I'm getting my Regency chairs refinished, and I'll be showing them off at a later date, as all the elements of the room come together.
And now, back to the mural . . .
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I'm hoping that Sandy's great eye and gift will be immortalized in some lovely/painterly way in the magic room!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting, Emily! I'm looking forward to seeing the refinished chairs, too!
DeleteWhat a generous gift from your friend Mark - I am looking forward to seeing them after restoration and then sitting in your Pompeian room.
ReplyDeleteA very interesting piece of information about the design elements in the chair and their reference the Royal Navy and the Battle of Trafalgar
Dear Rosemary,
DeleteWhen I discovered that tidbit, I thought of you and H, and thought you might both find it interesting. I also ended up reading a great deal about the Battle of Trafalgar and Nelson's elaborate state funeral.
Very handsome chairs, Mark! How generous of Sandy!! I can't wait to see the transformation. And how will you upholster the slip seats? Cheers!
ReplyDeletePS - I currently have a pair of Swedish Empire painted chairs with similar rope twist top rails. Thanks for sharing the background.
Hi, Loi,
DeleteYes, Sandy is very generous, especially with the greatest of gifts, which is to give of one's self.
The Pompeii Room is becoming so detailed and colorful that I will probably choose a color (or set of colors) that is reflected in the mural itself, to complement it.
I didn't know about this particular Regency design until after I was in possession the chairs. Whether the same meaning of rope twist decoration would apply to Swedish Empire furniture I cannot say.
What fantastic chairs Mark! Your friend Sandy knows exactly what you have in mind for your Pompeian room. Who would have thought that Trafalgar and Nelson would get into the act of your classic room.
ReplyDeleteDear Gina,
DeleteSandy has a great sense of design, so we have a lot of fun going on shopping trips together. And I can guarantee you that I will be consulting with her on upholstery choices.
Hello Mark, I had been starting to wonder about the furnishing of your Pompeii room--those walls obviously require something of more than ordinary interest. Your Klismos chairs will be perfect--by the way, what wood are they underneath?
ReplyDeleteHave you already decided on a table also? I am sure that you know Robsjohn-Gibbings book on Greek furniture; that and his actual pieces could surely provide lots of hints and inspiration, even if the originals are unattainable!
--Jim
Hello, Jim,
DeleteThe chairs are made of mahogany, which leads me to wonder about their age. They could be late 19th-century reproductions, but maybe they're the real deal. Unfortunately, they've been repaired, so I will be painting them, and actually, many fine Regency chairs were painted, often black.
Finding a table to complement them will be a challenge, especially since the room is very small. My first thought is to use a table with a glass top. Rather than making a big statement, I'm looking for something that will not take too much away from the mural — or the square footage!
Your plans for the chairs, (painting them black) and for a glass-topped table sound ideal to me, especially the latter given the small room. Perhaps a fabric with a leather weave pattern, (to copy from the klismos)?
DeleteThe idea of leather straps ala the original klismos chairs is a great one, though of course the design of my chairs is more Rengency than klismos. Actually, I've had your wonderful dining room chairs in mind, and could see mine also painted red to match the mural's wainscoting. In any event, I'll pick up colors from the mural.
DeleteOh what a great find and so glad you're doing it right and stripping off the old paint!! Can't wait to see these.
ReplyDeleteHi, Stefan!
DeleteIt was a wonderful find!
I am not a fan of shabby-chic, and it really pains me that some dealers (not true antique dealers, of course) are slapping paint on, just to draw attention. It only makes more work for the refinishers . . .
What a fabulous find, Mark! The chairs are perfect. Though I must admit that I kind of like the mustard paint. (I know, I know - YVETTE! You can't be serious. But I do love painted furniture.) Nelson is one of my all time heroes, Mark, so I was happy to read of the Trafalgar influence.
ReplyDeleteIt was a perfect case of the right thing showing up at the right moment, Yvette. I hope I have the same luck with my table!
DeleteI have not read much about Lord Nelson, but I do remember that he had a well publicized love affair. He'd certainly be a media star today!
Oh Mark, what a fabulous find! And I loved learning about the Lord Nelson/Trafalgar influence on furniture design. Absolutely cannot wait to see the refinished chairs.
ReplyDelete