He produced furniture for home consumption and for export, including some grand japanned pieces for the Spanish market, but much of his output comprised walnut and mahogany pieces for the home market and a number of chairs with his label have survived.
This pair of walnut chairs with drop-in embroidered seats would have been a fairly standard model in the early 18th century but are also similar to examples that are often ascribed to Grendey, with solid vase shaped splats and shell headed cabriole legs with ball and claw feet.
When they came up for sale at Special Auction Services (20% buyer’s premium) in Newbury, Berkshire, on March 5 they were described as in the manner of Giles Grendey and dated to the 1730s.
They were also each incised with a number, XIand VII, suggesting they were originally part of a larger set.
The chairs were catalogued as A/F with woodworm, damages and repairs. Nonetheless, an estimate of just £200-300 looked very cautious even with such condition issues.
Eighteenth century chairs described as in the manner of Giles Grendey come at a variety of price points depending on a range of factors.
Evidently several buyers felt this pair was of sufficient quality to merit repair and or restoration as they were contested to £22,000.
