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Background

I am selling a number of items from a large 24 bedroom Robert Adam (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Adam) 18th Century Mansion in London, over the next few weeks. If you win an item, you will be able to pick it up from the property, and would be welcome to stay for tea and a tour, if you're interested in old houses!

Although I have been here less than a year, the house is very famous. Kate Moss did her famous Agent Provocateur shoot here (see cover of their book), and 2 months ago the new Girls Aloud video (Can't Speak French) was shot in the dining room (you might see some of the items for sale, in the background!).

Some items have been in the house for a long time, and are being sold to help fund the refurbishment/decoration of the Master Bedroom (pictured). Others are from my private collection.

If I was buying something from eBay, I would want to know something about the seller. I am a well known TV producer (Channel 4 shows like Graham Norton, Johnny Vaughan etc) so click on the About Me link, or send me an email with your number, and I'll call you back.

I don't pretend to be an art/antique expert, so if you'd like to send in a professional valuer, I'd be very happy to receive them. However, I'm going to be selling a number of things over the next few weeks and have taken the decision to eBay them, rather than go down the formal valuation/auction route, which always seems to raise more for the 'experts' and auction rooms than the seller! (If the item goes into the thousands, then I would advise you to pay for a valuer). So you have a real chance to own something very special indeed, for very little.

PLEASE CLICK ON VIEW SELLER'S OTHER ITEMS, TO SEE OTHER THINGS FROM THE HOUSE. ALSO, KEEP A NOTE OF MY SELLER NAME, AS I WILL BE PUTTING OTHER THINGS UP OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

Payment

Ideally, cash on collection, or Paypal is fine.

Delivery or Pickup

Because of the value of some of the pieces, we would be grateful if people could pick up the pieces they win from the house. Perhaps you could make a day of it (the house is at the top of Regent Street in London). I would be happy to give you a tour of the place, and we can have some tea, if you have time! Alternatively, we can arrange for delivery using a service of your choice, once you have won the item. So just go ahead and bid, and we can add any delivery cost to the total. I'm sorry that I don't have time to get precise delivery costs for each bidder.

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Two Spectacular Louis XIV Water-Guilded Thrones/Bergères

NOTICE: THESE ARE NOT THE CHAIRS USED FOR KATE MOSS' AGENT PROVOCATEUR PHOTO, WHICH ARE FOR SALE SEPARATELY - SEE NOTE BELOW

The Chairs - Introduction

These beautiful French bergères are absolutely staggering. They are of the Louis XIV variety and are two of the best examples of their kind you will find. Quite simply, they are the most impressive chairs I have ever seen...we call them "The Thrones"! They are huge, and I should warn that they weigh a tonne! Their carving is both intricate and of extremely high quality. Although we've started the bidding at £50 with no reserve, we are hoping they will fetch a good amount!

The Chairs - Guilding

The highly polished shine of the guilding is real gold leaf and comes from the rare Water Guilding process (as opposed to the simpler Oil Guilding) of old (Note: most Louis chairs you see on eBay are just spray-painted gold!!!). The painstaking Water Guilding process requires around six layers of Guilder's Glue, Gesso and red Bole (each of which must be applied, sanded and polished) before the gold leaf can be laid and burnished with polished agate.

The remarkable result is the unusual and unmistakable appearance of solid gold, which is only seen on the highest quality pieces. The Guilding has aged, but many consider it a crime to have them touched up, as it shows off the Water Guilding and gives the chairs their character.

The Chairs - Upholstery

The chairs are filled with real Horse Hair and upholstered with cloth webbing etc, the traditional way. However, unless you really like the shabby-chique look, they will need to be re-upholstered (which includes new webbing etc). I have estimates from between £350 and £650 for both chairs, depending on the material. But once done, they will not only be the most impressive chairs most people have seen, they will also be valuable (unless you have horrific taste in upholstery, of course!).

Age and Valuation

The chairs are dated at around 1875 and of the highest quality workmanship. However, as I have taken the decision to eBay things, I'm not paying for professional valuations. But I would warmly welcome a valuer, if you would like to pay for them. The upholsterer who came around to quote (I never got around to taking the chairs in to be done) told me they should be worth in the order of £4-5,000, when finished. Again, if the bidding goes that high, and you want confirmation, please do send in an expert. Given that the upholstering will cost hundreds, rather than thousands, and the fact that I've started the bidding at £50, with NO RESERVE, you might secure yourself a great investment!!!

We are also including a small footstool of a similar age and style (pictured).

Condition

The condition of the chairs in commensurate with their age. The upholstery needs redoing, but the frames are spectacular. Springs are there and good, and replacement webbing will be part of the re-upholstery work. The gold leaf has worn through in places to reveal the Gesso and red Bole. This gives character and shows off the quality of the Water Guilding! You could have this touched up, but many would say it would be a shame.

The Kate Moss Chair

Kate Moss did her famous Agent Provocateur shoot in the house, and the famous picture of her in a Louis chair was actually not these chairs, but a much lower quality modern reproduction chair, which I'm also going to eBay (See Seller's Other Items).

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On 09-May-08 at 21:01:16 BST, seller added the following information:

In case anyone is interested, Derren Brown filmed here for Trick or Treat on Channel 4 recently. I think the episode is on C4 tonight at 10 (it was in the promo I watched yesterday). We have a huge wall in one of the main reception rooms which goes up and down through the floor, to make two rooms into one big room. It was originally installed in the 1700's and was water powered in some way (today it is electric). Derren incorporated it into a trick (which I might have just spoiled for you)! Happy watching!