pair of armchairs attributed to Ephraim Sthal

Pair of upturned back armchairs in mahogany and mahogany veneer. The armrests with cuffs rest on consoles in the shape of Egyptian caryatids topped with the traditional nemes, they have the particularity of separating into two parts forming a fork to cling to the rear upright. The upper part goes up to the highest of the upright, thus forming the winding and the other part goes down, forming an upholstered triangle, specific to the seats of Ephraim Ståhl. They rest on saber feet ending in bronze claws for the forelegs. Ephraim Ståhl thus created a particular and very elegant form of seating. Rich decorations of chiseled and gilded bronze such as: rosettes, palmettes, claws, friezes, caryatids. These seats are surely Ephraim Ståhl's masterpiece because, to our knowledge, they are the most accomplished and richest.

Ephraim Ståhl, active in Stockholm from 1794 to 1820-21.
Similar seats are preserved in the Royal Palace in Stockholm, in the great Swedish palaces and in the National Museum of Finland in Helsinki.

Bibliography:
Castles in Sweden by Håkan Groth published by Thames & Hudson. Decorative Arts from 1790 to 1850 by Léon de Groër published by Chêne.