Chippendale’s Chinoiserie: An Exceptional George II Carved Mahogany Chair

In honour of Thomas Chippendale's tercentenary this year, we are delighted to share an outstanding and important George II carved mahogany armchair of the finest quality in the manner of the celebrated cabinetmaker.  Designed in the chinoiserie taste, the back splat is carved with a pagoda cresting and a highly detailed lattice-work back and sides, …

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Mackinnon Fine Furniture 2018 Annual Catalogue Now Published

We are delighted to announce that our third annual print catalogue is now published.  The pieces featured in this catalogue have all been chosen for their individual attributes that make English antique furniture so inherently interesting and appealing-in particular, we have concentrated on provenance and attribution, as well as fantastic decoration, design, colour, and patina.  …

Period Portraits: David Garrick

We are introducing a new series today, which we are calling 'Period Portraits.'  These blog posts will focus on an individual historical character and his or her connection to the world of decorative arts.  We often look at cabinetmakers in our posts, including Thomas Chippendale, William Gomm, or Ince & Mayhew, but the focus of …

Happy 300th Birthday, Thomas Chippendale

Today, June 5 2018, marks Thomas Chippendale's 300th birthday.  Quite an achievement! We have covered Thomas Chippendale on our blog before: providing some examples of giltwood mirrors designs by the cabinetmaker, sharing an exciting discovery about an early exhibition on Chippendale, and most recently exploring the wonderful chair designs of Chippendale. Today, we will highlight some lesser …

Royal Beginnings: A Pair of George II Walnut Stools from the Collection of HRH Prince Frederick Lewis

We appreciate all fine antique furniture, but there is something special about a piece that has a known provenance.  Particularly if that provenance is royal.  We were delighted to acquire an exceptional pair of George II walnut stools from the collection of English royal family.  Each stool is stamped ‘F’ beneath a closed crown (indicating …

Never Taking a Back Seat: The Incredible Chair Backs of Thomas Chippendale

A while ago we wrote about an exceptional pair of George III mahogany side chairs from our archive--the carved pierced backs of the chairs closely follow the designs on Plate IX of Thomas Chippendale's Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director. Today, we are highlighting two exceptional George III mahogany specimen chairs that also feature fantastic carved backs.  Specimen …