Walnut Metamorphic Chair

A pair of George II design metamorphic library steps armchairs with shaped solid backs centered with painted scallop shell crests above hinged seats r...

A George III design, mahogany four-step metamorphic library coffee table, with decorative gilt incised leather top and leathered steps opening to f...

We are delighted to offer for sale this pair of large and collectable Regency style metamorphic armchair which converts into Library steps after the original 18th century design by Gillows of Lancaster with Burr Walnut panels A very good looking and well made pair, I have never seen a Regency style piece with Burr Walnut panels before, the leather seat pads have been restored by my leather polishers, they have been hand dyed six times, antiqued and sealed The period 1800-1825 was a great one for ‘patent’ or ‘metamorphic’ furniture This chair, which transforms into a short set of steps for use with bookshelves, is close to a design for a ‘Library Chair’ published in Rudolph Ackermann’s Repository of the Arts in July 1811, which was made by the London firm of Morgan and Saunders, of Catherine Street, Strand. They were well known for their ingenious furniture, including reading chairs with writing surfaces attached and a great variety of travelling beds...

With horizontal tablet crestrail with scrolled ends over down scrolled arms raised on saber legs, chair folds forward to form a ladder.

Rare George III mahogany metamorphic library steps/stool having nicely patinated olive leather seat, the mahogany frame of well constructed form, the leather seat lifting to reveal a...

French Country Metamorphic Chair and Sturdy Ladder Steps A very useful piece, this handy little chair can be flipped over and turned into a small 4 step ladder...

English Regency mahogany metamorphic library table/steps with hinged top & lion finial on a scrolled base. (with registry tag for J. Brodey, Bristo...

This is a Pine Metamorphic chair, it can be used either as a normal chair or when the top is flipped over it transforms into a step ladder. This is a country piece from Nuremberg Ge...

The rectangular padded seat covered in brown leather, opening to reveal a set of library steps, over a solid inlaid seat-rail and ring-turned tapering legs ending in castors. 18in. high, 34 1/2in. wide and 16 1/2in. deep. Opened, 36in. high and 49in. wide. Rooms organized during the Regency period as libraries often had floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. The upper shelves were difficult to reach, so movable library stairs were invaluable. Further, libraries were one of the most important rooms in a stately house, symbol of its owner's wealth, culture and status. As a consequence, designers, architects and cabinet or chair makers devoted much attention to its architecture and decoration. Hence, the emrgence of innovative ideas such as our bench. Enter the Regency era metamorphic library chair/bench (chairs are more common than benches)! The tables, chairs and stools containing library steps were patented in Great Britain by Robert Campbell in 1774 but this innovative chair-based design did not become immediately popular. Once the Regency was established, a neo-classical interpretation of Campbell’s Metamorphic Library Chair concept started to become popular in London. Any early attributions rely heavily on two contemporary sketches...

We are  delighted to offer for sale this lovely antique Arts & Crafts Victorian metamorphic library steps chair in oak with period upho...