GEORGE III MAHOGANY COCKPEN OPEN ARMCHAIR, England, c1770; M. Ford Creech Antiques

GEORGE III MAHOGANY COCKPEN OPEN ARMCHAIR

England, c1770

The square back with open latticework over a trapezoidal slip seat and two out-slanting latticework arms,

raised on 4 square chamfered legs connected by stretchers; the slip seat ;

early if not original finish with good patination; excellent condition

This type of latticework appears frequently in “fenced garden terrace” landscapes
painted on the Chinese export porcelains imported into Great Britain in the 17^th and 18^th centuries.
It was copied onto English porcelains, and possibly transposed into English furniture as well.
Although there are several references regarding “Cockpen chairs”,
the most often accepted refers to the pew backs at the Cockpen Church in Midlothian, Scotland
(part of the Dalhousie Estate).
The family pew of the Earls and Marquesses in Cockpen Church formerly contained examples in this manner.
A more intricately designed latticework chair was produced by Thomas Chippendale,
and became known as the 'Chinese Chippendale' style.
Chippendale’s 1762 Director includes several plates depicting the chair style,
and 2 pages of “Chinese Railings”.
Blind and open “fretwork” throughout the mid-18^th century repeats this pattern of asymmetrical intersecting lines.
Although the “Cockpen chair” thrived in Scotland during the second half of the 18th century,
the term “cockpen” appears not to have been used during this period.