Leonard Wyburd UK
Liberty & Company London

Four-legged Thebes stool circa 1890-95.  Oak with highly figured grain, concave slat seat, turned details.

Marks: 4 (impressed on underside)

This design was registered by Liberty & Co. in 1884.

Related Liberty & Co. stools illustrated: Liberty’s 1875-1975 :  An Exhibition to Mark the Firm’s Centenary  (London:  Victoria & Albert Museum, 1975) p. 35, illustr. C1, Liberty Design, 1874-1914 , Barbara Morris (London: Octopus Publishing Group:, 1989) p. 103; Egyptomania: Egypt in Western Art, 1730-1930 (Paris: Éditions de la Réunion des Musées Nationaux and Ottawa: National Gallery of Canada, 1994), pp. 465-66.

H: 15″ x D: 17″ x W: 17″

One of the driving influences of the Aesthetic Movement of the late 19th century was an informed interest in authentic ancient designs inspired by recent archaeological discoveries.  Both the three and four-legged Thebes stool were inspired by actual furniture and wall paintings unearthed from royal tombs in the ancient Egyptian city for which they are named.  Leonard Wyburd, who was one of the principal designers for Liberty, patented his designs for the Thebes stools in 1884. Liberty & Co. continued to make the popular stools into the early 1900’s.