A Late Regency Period Carved Mahogany Stool by Richard Penn

This fine hall stool with solid mahogany dished seat having on each side a fluted scroll terminal finished with stylistically carved floral patera, above carved rails with square carvings on each corner finished on fluted tapering legs. A group of 10 Hall Benches of Identical design executed in oak were supplied to Cropley Ashley Cooper, 6th Earl of Shaftesbury (1768-1851) St Giles House, Wimborne St Giles, Dorset. The 7th Earl records in his ‘Collected Traditions of the Mansion & Estate’ of 1855, states that these stools were carved by 'Richard Penn Esqre for the 6th Earl of Shaftesbury’ Richard Penn (1784-1863) had a rather interesting family history as he was the Great grandson of William Penn, the founder of the then province of Pennsylvania. He was employed at the Colonial Office. Penn was also an aAuthor, writing on such varied subjects as ciphering, angling, shooting and chess. Whether any further models of this stool executed in mahogany were supplied to St Giles House is still shrouded in some question marks but further research is ongoing. In any case a very firm attribution to Richard Penn as the carver can surely be made.