furniture of history

Gregor Wittrick,

Design Historian & Researcher

the sofa

the home and the chesterfield

origins of the chesterfield

the sofa

the home and the chesterfield

origins of the chesterfield

british furniture
in south asia

During the 19th century, British-style furniture arrived in South Asia from two sources. Certain pieces were English-made and imported, while others were made locally by craftsmen replicating European designs. The imported furniture was either transported by the emigrating British, or ordered from England by those residing in South Asia to suit a style of furnishing they were accustomed to, their posture and social life.

Taking advantage of the demand, the locally-made furniture in western styles catered to British tastes. These were likely replicated from English-made objects and drawings, and usually made with local materials, and sometimes with local stylistic inflexions. In India, and especially in places of European trade, such as Bengal and Gujarat, this import substitution led to a fusion of western forms and Indian materials.

Beyond simply being a place of manufacture, India, through its adoption of these furniture styles and the perseverance of objects such as the Chesterfield sofa, appears as a centre of design with influences drawn locally, nationally and internationally over the last few centuries. This aligns Chester’s with a centuries-old tradition of cross-cultural stylistic exchange of furniture design and manufacture within South Asia, a tradition which Chester’s continues to skillfully uphold.

the sofa

East Indian plate 40, J.F.F. von Racknitz,
Presentation and History of the Taste of Leading Nations

The sofa is a truly global item of furniture. For centuries this form has been transmitted across continents and its comfort enjoyed and appreciated. As early as 1730, European scholars keen to catalogue and depict the decorative arts from across the world described the sofa as a ‘sort of alcove much used in Asia; it is an apartment of state, raised from about half a foot, to two feet higher than the floor, and furnished with rich carpets and cushions where honourable personages are entertained’. As well as demonstrating that ‘sofas’ which predate the Chesterfield were present and in use in South Asia at least as early as the 18th century, this exemplifies a clear historical tradition for comfort, luxury, and richness of materials in South Asian design that dates back centuries.

The Chesterfield sofa is symbolic of Chester’s. These spacious pieces are recognised by their generous form with deep cushions, rounded arms and back, and for their beautiful upholstery and deep buttoning. Popular in England during the 19th century, the Chesterfield is now ubiquitous across continents, and continues to symbolise comfort and luxury over two hundred years later.

the home & the
chesterfield

The foundational changes which shaped the British domestic interior during the 19th century help to explain the rise in popularity of Chesterfield during the period. Major changes in the way people worked led the home to become a place free from work for the first time for many. As an entirely domestic space, ideas of comfort, privacy, familial and moral life were given greater importance to emphasise the contrast between home and work environments. The emphasis on comfort is evident within much of the literature from the period, with many home improvement periodicals, architectural treaties, and decorators’ manuals instructing homeowners on the most appropriate décor and furnishing for their interior spaces, in line with values and ‘good taste’ of the period, and differentiating them from working spaces. Many of these emphasised the importance of notions such as ‘Quiet comfort’, ‘Convenience’, and ‘Elegance’.

A Chesterfield sofa, as depicted in Furniture and
Decoration, February 1897

As well as their emphasis on comfort in the home, these treaties make clear the presence of strict differentiation of use for particular rooms. For example, while the whole family might gather in the morning-room, in the drawing-room the lady of the house would ‘receive calls throughout the day’, the library was a ‘private room of the gentleman’. Stylistically, each of these rooms were differentiated by their furnishings.

In illustrations and depictions of rooms of the period, spaces intended for retreat, business and learning, such as the library or study, are generally depicted with darker furnishings, and with sofas and chairs more frequently upholstered in leather for its deeper, sombre hues. In contrast, familial rooms and social spaces furnished to receive guests and to relax in comfort appear to have been furnished with fabric-upholstered furniture. These rooms, designed for comfort, bear some striking differences in surface colour and decoration while retaining broadly similar styles as the rooms arranged for study.

In both cases, either in fabric or leather, in the drawing-room or the study, the sofa and the Chesterfield more specifically have equal historical traditions in both materials, leather and fabric. While the context of their upholstery and use might differ from one space to another both have equal presence in the historical tradition of furniture which Chester’s follows.

origins of the
chesterfield

While it is difficult to trace an exact origin to the name and form of the Chesterfield, it is possible to trace different uses of the deep buttoned upholstery for which Chester’s is known, revealing a tradition of comfort and resilience from as early as the 18th century.

Introduced in the second half of the 18th century, buttoning was used as a decorative technique, adorning simple upholstery with pattern and shadows. This history continues today, with deep buttoning still in use to embellish and ornament the highest quality furniture. Soon after its conception, the durability of buttoned upholstery was recognised by coachbuilders and sedan chair makers who employed the method to prolong the life of their seating. Its resilience is clear from its continued use in furniture in public spaces, made to withstand constant use.

Mahogany sofa, as depicted in Furniture and
Decoration, February 1897

However, deep buttoning was (and still is) far more than a hard-wearing surface. With its graceful curves and folds, this upholstery form continued its 18th century decorative tradition, and remains synonymous with comfort and desirability today.

Today, Chester’s continue to upholster their Chesterfields with materials and processes that fit both traditions. Designed and made to ensure the utmost comfort, Chester’s deep buttoned furniture is made to last generations.

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furniture of history

british furniture in south asia

the sofa

the home & the chesterfield

origins of the chesterfield

collections

british furniture
in south asia

the home & the
chesterfield

origins of the
chesterfield