Click on the image to see the full version. Photo: Alexis Daflos

Late Gustavian powder chair

STRÖMSHOLM PALACE

Sofia Magdalena's Bedchamber at Strömsholm Palace has two mahogany toilette chairs with seats made from saffian, a particularly fine type of leather.

One of these is stamped EÖM (Erik Öhrmark) in a clearly visible position, and bears the chairmaker's label. Öhrmark has also signed the piece himself in graphite in a more discreet location, perhaps because he viewed this as a particularly special chair.

However, despite his excellent workmanship, it is not Öhrmark's efforts that make this chair so noteworthy. According to the Royal Collections' accounts for 1798, the cost of this 'Toilette chair in the English style' was twice that of other chairs.

This chair was fitted with a handle (which has since been lost), allowing the seat to be raised by about 20 cm.

FACTS
Made by: Erik Öhrmark, Stockholm, 1798

Mahogany with pine core, boxwood castors. Raising and lowering mechanism in iron and brass by Petter Strand. Stuffed edging and loose leather cushion.