Ten Antique Holland & Son's Dining Chairs From The British Museum Reading Room
Pulborough, United Kingdom
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Dimensions
Wear Condition
Good
Material
Mahogany
Style
Antique, British Antiques, French Antiques, Victorian
Product Details
Description
Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this lovely suite of ten handmade original Victorian spoon or medallion back dining chairs with original upholstery made by Holland & Son's for the Reading room of the British Museum circa 1860-1870
This is a once in a lifetime chance to own this suite of chairs, not only were they made by one of the leading cabinetmakers of the 19th century Holland & Son's, they are in totally 100% original condition and of course made for one of the most prestigious buildings in London, the British Museum no less, I have included above three pictures I found online where you can see the chairs in situs
The Reading Room stands at the heart of the Museum, in the centre of the Great Court. Completed in 1857, it was hailed as one of the great sights of London and became a world-famous centre of learning.
Each chair is stamped twice to the base on the rails "Holland & Son's" there is also order or serial numbers and some initials reading MM or WW, they would have most likely been the initials of the specific cabinet maker who crafted each piece
These chairs have need been fully restored, they have the period finish and polish, the Rexene upholstery is original and most of the castors are as well, one or two would have wornout over the years. The timber looks to be Cuban or Honduras Mahogany, it was being imported by the crème de la crème of cabinet makers in the late 18th and early 19th century, the chairs are approximately three times heavier than the modern day equivalent
Condition wise we have lightly cleaned waxed and polished the chairs from top to bottom, they have the original patina throughout as mentioned all the Rexene is present, some back panels have indentations and cracks as pictured
Dimensions
Height:- 88cm
Width:- 52cm
Depth:- 65cm
Seat height:- 42cm
Price for set
Condition report:
Please view the very detailed pictures as they form part of the description pertaining to the condition. Please also ask any questions before you bid and not after, all of our items are sold as seen and as listed
Royal House Antiques cannot be held liable for any independent assumptions made regarding the items we sell, if you are unsure on any point, please feel free to ask for clarity
Please note vintage period and original items such as leather seating will always have natural patina in the form of creasing and wear, we recommend annual waxing to ensure no moisture is lost, also hand dyed leather is not recommended to sit in direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time as it will dry out and fade
Additional dimensions information:
Seat height:- 42cm
Wear Condition
Good
Cancellations
We offer free cancellations and full refund for orders cancelled before dispatching. View full policy.
Returns
We have a 14-day return guarantee for orders from individual sellers, within the UK and European Union. View full policy.
Additional Delivery Info from Seller
We can arrange delivery nationwide. Please use the 'Request A Delivery Quote' button to confirm the delivery fee before placing your order.
Whoever delivers will usually require some help on the larger items to unload, if this is not possible please let us know as it will affect the price to send a two man team
Delivery is to the ground floor only, again if you need help upstairs or in flats etc that's absolutely not a problem, the couriers charge £10 per flight per man per item, if you have a working elevator then naturally there’s no additional fee
I’m happy to hold any purchased items for up to 2 weeks. After that, there is a storage fee of £10 a week.
Estimated delivery time
One to two weeks
Free collection available
Yes
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Reviews
4.9
Based on 30 reviews
Wear conditions
Excellent
Shows little to no signs of wear and tear.
Good
May show slight traces of use in keeping with age. Most vintage and antique items fit into this condition.
Average
Likely to show signs of some light scratching and ageing but still remains in a fair condition.
Apparent Wear and Tear
Visible signs of previous use including scratches, chips or stains.
Please refer to condition report, images or make a seller enquiry for additional information.
Cancellations and Returns
Last updated: 12/02/2026
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What your service fee covers
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14-day return guarantee
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Flat-fee return shipping on UK furniture
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Seller vetting
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Dedicated customer support
| Order Value (£) | Fee (£) |
|---|---|
| 0 — 49.99 | 2.75 |
| 50 — 99.99 | 5.50 |
| 100 — 199.99 | 11.00 |
| 200 — 399.99 | 21.00 |
| 400 — 599.99 | 30.00 |
| 600 — 799.99 | 40.00 |
| 800 — 999.99 | 50.00 |
| 1,000 — 1,499.99 | 55.00 |
| 1,500 — 1,999.99 | 60.00 |
| 2,000 — 4,999.99 | 82.50 |
| 5,000+ | 110.00 |
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