South African Design: Past & Present

Timed Online Auction, 13 June - 9 July 2025

Cape Interiors: Furniture, Metalware, Silver & Glass
About the Session

This sale traces the heritage of South African design across centuries of creative expression highlighting diverse design objects through two sessions. Uniting the sessions is a celebration of the versatility of materials - metal, wood, glass, clay, fibre - and how artists and artisans have transformed them over time into works of wonder, rich in both tradition and innovation.

Current Bid

-
BrowseRegister
Lot 3
Lot 4
Lot 5
  • A harlequin set of ten Cape stinkwood Neo-classical side chairs, late 18th/early 19th century
  • A harlequin set of ten Cape stinkwood Neo-classical side chairs, late 18th/early 19th century
Add to WishlistAdd to Calendar
SaveSendPin ItCurrency
Lot Estimate
ZAR 70 000 - 90 000
Current Bid
Starting at ZAR 65 000
Location
Cape Town
Delivery
Additional delivery charges apply
Shipping
Enquire
Condition Report
See more Details
May include additional detailed images
Need more information?
Ask a Specialist
 
Bidding History
View Favourites
Register to Bid

About this Item

A harlequin set of ten Cape stinkwood Neo-classical side chairs, late 18th/early 19th century each with shaped top rail with cresting above a pierced lyre splat, riempie seat, on square-section tapering legs joined by an H-shaped stretcher; including another pair, similar, with square-shaped tapering legs joined by H-shaped stretchers, restorations; and another, with plain top-rail (10)

Notes

The slender and elegant fiddle-back chairs closely followed similar Dutch Neo-classical designs of the period. They were fashionable and made in relatively large numbers from the end of the eighteenth century into the early nineteenth century.

This set represents a few of the more than 30 splat variations used, the most popular configuration being four splats with three gaps.

This set is also made up of a combination of cane and riempies, which was the preferred seat at the Cape, usually with a loose cushion added for comfort.

Browse
Lot 3
Lot 4
Lot 5
Other lots that might interest you
A Cape stinkwood side table, late 18th century
2
A Cape stinkwood side table, late 18th century
ZAR 10 000 - 12 000
A Cape Neo-classical stinkwood, teak and fruitwood rusbank, early 19th century
6
A Cape Neo-classical stinkwood, teak and fruitwood rusbank, early 19th century
ZAR 40 000 - 50 000
A Cape stinkwood armchair, early 19th century
7
A Cape stinkwood armchair, early 19th century
ZAR 8 000 - 10 000
A Cape yellowwood and stinkwood inlaid side table, early 19th century
10
A Cape yellowwood and stinkwood inlaid side table, early 19th century
ZAR 8 000 - 10 000
A Cape Neo-classical stinkwood rusbank, 19th century
11
A Cape Neo-classical stinkwood rusbank, 19th century
ZAR 15 000 - 18 000
A set of five Cape stinkwood dining chairs, 19th century
13
A set of five Cape stinkwood dining chairs, 19th century
ZAR 15 000 - 20 000