Exceptional Rare Antique William Birch For “Liberty” Walnut Settle Of Fabulous Quality Circa 1890

A exceptional and rare William Birch for “Liberty” walnut settle/bench. A beautiful piece of furniture of superior quality. Hand carved back splats with Moorish influence, swept elbow arm rests and classic ring turned legs and long upright back supports with turned knops at the top. Leather drop insert seating cushion. William Birch worked from Marshall’s Yard, Seaton Street, Hampstead Road workshops. Suppliers to Liberty, Harrods & Heals, Birch furniture is highly sought after and very rare. Birch had factories at High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire and Hampstead London. The firm was established in 1840 as chair makers and by 1875 employed more than 50 workers. Later in the century they pioneered the use of machinery and developed cabinet making as an accompaniment to chairs. The Cabinet Maker, June 1886, reported that the firm had one of the smartest, largest and best managed factories in the town and produced work of the highest class. Birch were the preferred supplier to Liberty of London and were commissioned by Leonard Wyburd, as head of the Liberty Furniture Studio, designs included the Ethelbert and Athelstan chairs of 1901. This fabulous settle has beautiful form and a history/provenance recorded in back catalogues to match. The perfect country house seating. 

The story of Liberty is fascinating as having originally only stocked imported furniture, in 1883 Liberty employed eighteen year old Leonard Wyburd as principal designer for Liberty & Co. Wyburd’s furniture designs were first published in its Art Furniture catalogue of 1884. From the time of Wyburd’s appointment there was a gradual inclusion in the Liberty stock of new pieces of furniture. Within ten years, no doubt with reference to Morris & Co and to the published sources of William Birch, E. W. Godwin, Bruce Talbert and Charles Eastlake, interpretations of Tudor, Jacobean and Elizabethan period furniture with moorish influences developed into a rugged vernacular style with armoured metalwork, heavy oak and medieval character often with carved friezes and painted decoration. This beautiful pice of furniture has all the hallmarks of the above and will date from circa 1890. Inject style into any hallway or interior space with this stunning survivor.

138cm Length x 56cm Depth x Seat Height 49cm x 95cm Full Height.

 As a genuine antique/vintage item there is wear and use commensurate with age. Some wooden products may have signs of historic woodworm. As a precaution we apply a clear triple action woodworm treatment that also kills wet rot, dry rot and woodworm. Please look at all the images carefully and ask any questions pre purchase as we do not unfortunately offer refunds due to the size and shipping costs of our antiques/items.  All our items are available on line at Search & Rescued and other online stores.