Provenance

Made for the Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary at Westminster Abbey, 22 June 1911. The King sat on his throne chair following his crowning to receive the Homage, the Queen after her Anointing, her chair set lower on the dais than the Kings'. Subsequently placed to either side of the dais in the Throne Room, Buckingham Palace, where photographed for Clifford Smith's 1931 book, Buckingham Palace.

The form of these throne chairs was inspired by a chair at Knole in Kent (National Trust inventory 129463) which was loaned by Lord Sackville to the Office of Works for design inspiration. This original chair also informed the design of the 1937 throne chairs for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (RCIN 2604). Their design replicates the style of chair made for the coronation of Charles II and James II in the seventeenth century, including the surviving X-shape chair made for Archbishop Juxon's use at the coronation of Charles II (Victoria and Albert Museum W.12:1, 2-1928). The X-shape is also reminiscent of folding stools of the Tudor period. In the seventeenth century, the X-shape remained a decorative feature, and the arms and back were added for comfort. The choice for a historic English design and a British manufacturer was intentional. The purpose was to establish a connection between the new Sovereign and his ancestry, and to emphasize the quality of British craftsmanship.