The Chairs of Powderham Castle | The Attic Sale | 3 June 2025

The Powderham Castle Armchairs by James Wyatt

Among the family’s most influential figures was William “Kitty” Courtenay, the 3rd Viscount and later 9th Earl of Devon, whose vision and artistic sensibilities profoundly shaped the castle’s identity. William Courtenay left an indelible mark on Powderham Castle through his commissioning of exquisite interiors. His commitment to artistry is epitomised in the Music Room, conceived in the early 1790s. Designed by the celebrated architect James Wyatt and brought to life by the sculptor Richard Westmacott, the Music Room is the largest space in the castle. The room’s aesthetic is a reflection of Wyatt’s mastery in creating cohesive architectural environments, with each detail meticulously crafted to align with neoclassical ideals. The furnishings of the era, under Courtenay’s direction, embody the pinnacle of design and craftsmanship.

Among the remarkable pieces from this period are a pair of George III cream-painted and parcel-gilt armchairs, attributed to Wyatt’s design and possibly executed by the esteemed furniture-makers Elward, Marsh & Tatham. These armchairs, conceived in the late 18th-century neoclassical style, feature a rectilinear form and restrained decoration that align with the ethos of the period. Promoted by prominent designers like George Hepplewhite and Thomas Sheraton, such furniture exemplifies the elegance of the neoclassical taste. Wyatt, celebrated for his innovative designs, succeeded Robert Adam as the preeminent architect and furniture designer of his time, creating unified architectural interiors that integrated furniture as a seamless element of the design.

Records show that Elward, Marsh & Tatham received significant commissions from Courtenay, amounting to thousands of pounds despite the Earl’s financial difficulties. It is likely that these George III armchairs were part of a larger suite of furnishings, supplied to complete the grandeur of the Music Room.

The Powderham Castle Mahogany Armchairs

Dating to circa 1760 and attributed to the Clerkenwell father and son cabinet-makers William and Richard Gomm, we then have a pair of George III mahogany armchairs. These were probably acquired by William, 2^nd Viscount Courtenay, (1742-1788).

The chairs reflect the 'French' rococo taste that was its height in England in the mid-18th century, their serpentined frames pierced and wrapped with Roman acanthus leaves in the 'picturesque' manner that was invented on the continent by artists, architects and ornamentists such as Meissonnier and Oppenord, and promoted in England particularly in regard to furnishings by William Hogarth.

William Gomm established his business in 1724 at Peterborough Court, Smithfield, but moved in 1736 to Newcastle House, Clerkenwell Square where he built more extensive workshops. In the 1730s Gomm had a close association with the German cabinet-maker Abraham Roentgen who had travelled to Paris, Rotterdam and London to gain experience in the cabinet trade and he is recorded working with 'Gern' (certainly Gomm) after the firm relocated to Newcastle House. Richard, his eldest son, joined him in business and by 1763 the business traded as William Gomm & Son & Co. William Gomm's earliest recorded commission was for Richard Hoare of Barn Elms, London, 1731-33 and the most extensive was for the 5th Lord Leigh for Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, from 1763, amounting to more than 180 various items and totalling £819 9s (Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Leigh receipts, DR 18/5).

Perhaps the most celebrated of the firm's commissions was the set of carved giltwood armchairs for Kenure Park, Co. Dublin, most probably for Sir Roger Palmer, 1st Bt., circa 1760 - 65. The mansion had celebrated rococo plasterwork ceilings and carved woodwork and the equally impressive furniture was supplied by the best London makers including Thomas Chippendale and Pierre Langlois. The Kenure armchairs were designed in the fully conceived 'French rococo' taste of the mid-18th century and like the Powderham chairs the frames were pierced-through.