both of blackwood, carved and pierced ornately with tall everting backs, an outer rail comprising a frieze of circular motifs crowned by a crest rail of stylised acanthus leaves emanating from the seat and supporting a pierced palmette, the front legs terminating in a double scroll, the first chair 121cm high x 64cm wide x 63cm deep, the second 128cm high x 65cm wide x 61cm deep

Provenance: Thought to be the property of Sir Duleep Singh, the last Sikh Maharajah, remaining in Elveden Hall when acquired by the Earl of Iveagh in 1894.

Private Collection, acquired Christies, 21st to 24th May, 1984, Elveden Hall, the property of the Earl of Iveagh, lot 536.

For the first time in over forty years, since they left Elveden Hall, these chairs come to auction, providing a remarkable opportunity to acquire a legacy of Sir Duleep Singh's life in Britain.

The term 'Bombay blackwood' was used to describe richly carved furniture produced following Victorian models from the 1840s. The wood used was principally blackwood brought from the Malabar coast to suuply workshops in and around meadow Street in Bombay. The style of this furniture is overwhelmingly that of Rococo Revival with 'exagerrated and curvaceous forms ultimately inspired by Louis XV furniture' (Jaffer 2001, p.330).

These two chairs were sold by Christies on behalf of the Earl of Iveagh in 1984 as part of the contents of Elveden. They were amongst just a few pieces of Indian furniture in this sale, have always beeen considered to have been amongst a few possessions left in the house by Sir Duleep Singh after his departure. The last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, Duleep Singh had been deposed and sent into exile by the British. He was welcomed and socially embraced by both royalty and aristocracy and became a friend of Queen Victoria. Sir Duleep Singh eventually settled at Elveden, purchasing the estate in 1863. It provided an opportunity for him to engage in his favourite pastime of shooting and he had parts of the Georgian interior remodelled in an Indian style including Indian furniture such as these chairs. In the 1870s his fortunes diminished as did his enthusiasm for British rule in india. He made various attempts to stir foment against colonial rule and left England in 1886 to further pursue this. He died in 1893 and in the following year the Guinness family acquired the estate which remains in their possession.