Pair Antique 19th C Gillow & Co Adams Style Bergere Chairs

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This exceptional pair of Gillows & Company Adams-style cane armchairs, crafted in England during the late 19th to early 20th … Read more This exceptional pair of Gillows & Company Adams-style cane armchairs, crafted in England during the late 19th to early 20th century, represents the remarkable craftsmanship and refined elegance that established Gillows as one of the most prestigious cabinetmaking firms in the English-speaking world. Beautifully proportioned and exquisitely decorated, these chairs combine graceful neoclassical design with extraordinary hand craftsmanship, making them equally appropriate as statement seating in a formal living room, library, sunroom, conservatory, or sophisticated entrance hall.

Constructed from beautifully figured satinwood or fruitwood with a rich honey-colored finish that has mellowed gracefully over more than a century, each chair displays the warm, luminous patina that only age can produce. The exposed wood surfaces are delicately hand-painted with elegant green and gold neoclassical decoration, including laurel garlands, stylized floral motifs, rosettes, and classical leaf ornament. These painted accents are subtle yet highly refined, enhancing the architectural beauty of the chairs without overpowering their graceful lines.

The most spectacular feature of these armchairs is their magnificent woven cane backs, each displaying an intricate concentric sunburst pattern radiating outward from a hand-painted oval medallion. At the center of each chair is a beautifully painted classical female figure dressed in flowing Greco-Roman robes and set within a tranquil pastoral landscape. These medallions reflect the neoclassical ideals popularized by Robert Adam and the decorative arts of the late eighteenth century, serving as elegant focal points while transforming the chairs into true works of decorative art.

The caning itself is exceptional. Rather than a simple woven panel, the intricate radial weave creates remarkable depth and texture, demonstrating the extraordinary skill required of master cane craftsmen. Matching woven cane extends around the sides and across the generously proportioned seats, lending the chairs an airy lightness while providing remarkable comfort and durability. Cane furniture has long been admired for its ability to remain cool, resilient, and visually elegant, making these chairs as practical today as they were over one hundred years ago.

Gracefully curved open arms flow naturally into finely turned supports adorned with hand-painted stylized leaves in soft green and gold. The elegant sweep of the arms provides both comfort and visual movement while maintaining the restrained sophistication characteristic of the Adams style. Below, the front rails are decorated with delicately painted laurel swags and centered by carved rosettes, demonstrating Gillows' attention to even the smallest decorative details.

The tapered square legs are quintessentially neoclassical, emphasizing clean vertical lines rather than elaborate carving. Their restrained elegance allows the exceptional painted decoration and woven cane work to remain the visual focus. Every joint, proportion, and decorative element reflects the impeccable standards for which Gillows became internationally renowned.

These chairs perfectly embody the Adams style, named after the celebrated Scottish architect and designer Robert Adam (1728–1792). Adam revolutionized English interior design by introducing lighter, more refined neoclassical forms inspired by ancient Greece and Rome. His furniture favored graceful proportions, classical ornament, painted decoration, and delicate architectural details over the heavier forms of earlier Georgian furniture. These armchairs beautifully capture that timeless elegance while demonstrating the extraordinary quality of later English craftsmanship.

About Gillows & Company

Gillows & Company was among the finest furniture manufacturers ever established in Britain. Founded in 1730 by Robert Gillow in Lancaster, the company quickly earned an international reputation for producing furniture of unparalleled quality using the finest imported mahogany, satinwood, walnut, and other exotic hardwoods. A London showroom soon followed, allowing Gillows to furnish aristocratic country houses, royal residences, prestigious clubs, and some of Britain's most important public buildings.

Gillows became famous not only for elegant design but also for exceptional engineering and craftsmanship. Their workshops employed master cabinetmakers, carvers, turners, painters, and finishers whose combined talents produced furniture that has survived for centuries. The company excelled in virtually every important English style, including Georgian, Adams, Regency, and Victorian, always maintaining uncompromising standards of construction and finish.

Today, authentic Gillows furniture is highly sought after by collectors, museums, and discerning decorators around the world. This remarkable pair of Adams-style cane armchairs represents everything that made the company legendary—timeless design, exceptional craftsmanship, beautiful hand-painted decoration, and heirloom-quality construction. They are not simply chairs, but enduring examples of English decorative arts at their finest, bringing elegance, history, and refined sophistication into any distinguished interior.



Dimensions: 40.25 inches high x 26 inches ide x 25.5 inches deep. Seat height 12.5 inches. See less