A pair of Victorian carved mahogany Windsor open armchairs attributed to William Birch of High Wycombe With curved, reeded and scrolled top-rails above vase and spindle backs with outswept scrolling arms, above saddle seats on wreathed turned legs and crinoline stretchers, each 48cm wide, 44cm deep, 100cm high, seat height 46cm. (2) William Birch established his chairmaking business in High Wycombe in the 1840's, and by 1895 additional premises had been established in Euston Road, London, with workshops in nearby Denmark Street. The firm were pioneers in creating high class Windsor chairs, using imported rather than native timbers and employing leading designers. They supplied furniture for leading London stores including Liberty. From the Liberty archive at Westminster and a collection of notes and sketches by Barbara Morris, several chairs made by William Birch are identifiable. An identical chair sold Christie's London, 6 April 2000, lot 278 (£7,050) Literature: M.Harding-Hill, Windsor Chairs: An Illustrated Celebration, Woodbridge 2003, pp. 148-151.