Known in France as chaise à porteurs, this painted and gilded sedan chair dates to the 1700s. The front door and the sides have been painted green, with a flowering “K” in gold, entangled by blue, white, and red blooms. In place of the monogram, the sweeping back side has a large coat of arms, consisting of two lions on rocky terrain set behind a shaped golden console with a black and white patterned ground. A five-point open crown tops the shield, which is covered in blue, white, and red floral swags. Two brackets can be seen protruding from each side: they secure the chair poles when the chair was being carried, although our poles are no longer present.
The interior is lined from floor to ceiling with red upholstery embellished with gold fringe and gimp, including the arm rests and seat. Based on a signature found on the floor of the storage compartment located beneath the flip-top seat, the chair was restored by Marc Boulain in 1972. It was most likely during this time that the three windows were each fitted with retractable glass that is operated by pulling the attached woven straps. The exterior of the roof is covered by brown leather that is affixed by elliptical brass nailheads and a leaf cup finial in each corner.
Evidence indicates that the earliest sedan chairs were used by the pharaohs of Egypt, with the Egyptian Museum in Cairo displaying one that dates to approximately the 26th century BC. These types of chairs would have arrived in Europe after Portuguese and Spanish explorers returned from Central and South America, where the wheel had not been discovered yet. During the 16th through 18th centuries, wealthier European citizens and nobility would utilize a sedan chair for intracity transportation. The presence of the monogram and heraldic display indicates that the chair was also a status symbol. Although the use of sedan chairs died out in the late 18th century, our painted chaise à porteurs would make a fascinating addition to a grand foyer, library, or game room, as an enclosed seat or a unique decorative element.
CONDITION: Good antique condition, with commensurate wear, such as nicks, fleabites, and age separations. Traces of old restoration, which also include the addition of windows. Some areas of discoloration to the painted exterior, with minimal paint losses. Light upholstery wear. At least one missing nailhead with slight lifting to others. Minor cavitations to leather roof.
