Bidspirit auction | Rare British Campaign Metamorphic Armchair

Rare British Campaign Metamorphic Armchair by Johnstone & Jeanes, London, circa 1840–60 - A rare Victorian campaign metamorphic armchair by Johnstone & Jeanes of London, the front seat rail stamped “JOHNSTONE & JEANES / 67 NEW BOND ST / LONDON / 6572.” The chair is constructed in mahogany with caned seat and back panels, leather elements and original brass caster feet. Designed for portability, the chair breaks down through a finely engineered system of brass bolts, hinges and locking tabs. Small tabs behind the arm supports release the upper arms, allowing them to rotate backward while the supports swing forward. The seat lifts on hinges at the rear edge, and the legs fold inward in a concertina action, reducing the chair for transport or storage. Chairs of this type were often supplied with fitted carrying cases and loose leather cushions, making them practical field furniture while retaining the refinement expected of high-quality London cabinetmaking. Johnstone & Jeanes were cabinetmakers and upholsterers of note, with works represented in the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Royal Collection Trust. The firm originated as Johnstone, Jupe & Co. under John Johnstone and Robert Jupe, later operating from 67 New Bond Street and trading as Johnstone & Jeanes through much of the nineteenth century. The firm exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851, the London International Exhibition of 1862 and the Paris Exhibition of 1878. Literature: Nicholas A. Brawer, British Campaign Furniture: Elegance Under Canvas, 1740–1914, 2001, illustrated in color, pp. 96–97, Nicholas A. Brawer, “Victorian Campaign Furniture, ” The Magazine Antiques, September 2000, illustrated in color, p. 352. Exhibited: Britain’s Portable Empire: Campaign Furniture of the Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian Periods, Katonah Museum of Art, July 8–September 30, 2001. 38 5/8 in. H x 22 1/2 in. W x 19 5/8 in. D; seat height 17 3/8 in.