VICTORIAN HARROPS CHESTERFIELD BROWN LEATHER RECLINER DRINKS CABINET ARMCHAIR

Description

Royal House Antiques

Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this absolutely stunning, very collectable John Harrop, top to bottom restored, hand dyed Cigar brown leather reclining armchair with built in drinks cabinet to one side and bookcase to the other 

Please note the delivery fee listed is just a guide, it covers within the M25 only for the UK and local Europe only for international, if you would like an accurate quote, please send me your postcode and I’ll provide you with the exact price.

This chair is a wonder to behold, I have never in all my time seen another, it screams Art Deco however it was made in the latter part of the Victorian era, the chair on the face of it looks like an Odeon armchair which in itself is rare, however, this is so much more, this would have been a gentleman’s paradise, it reclines as mentioned, the left outside arm is a bookcase cabinet, under the of top of this side there is a sliding ashtray, this most likely wouldn’t be used today but it is appealing that it hasn’t been lost over time, the right side has a cupboard which when opened reveals a drinks cabinet, is that not just the most sophisticated feature you have ever seen on an armchair 

The inside of the cupboard door displays the original retailers plaque which reads HARROPS BETTER FURNITURE 89 91 & 93 PICCADILLY MANCHESTER, this is for John Harrop, a full bio of the great man can be read below 

This chair originally in a blue fabric, it has been stripped back to the frame which has been French polished, its then been upholstered with Italian Premium cattle hide russet leather that was applied plain, plain leather is signifacntly more expensive than pre-treated hide, it has then been hand dyed six times, antiqued, sealed waxed down and polished, this is now basically in better than new condition  

Dimensions for the armchair

Height:- 85cm

Width:- 68cm 

Depth:- 65cm fully reclined depth 100cm

Seat height:- 44cm

Please note all measurements are taken at the widest point, if you would like any additional or specific measurements please ask.

John Harrop was the next person to live at Heaton Lodge. In many ways he was the archetypal Victorian, living the English dream. He was born in a workhouse but ended his days a rich businessman rising to Lord Mayor of Manchester, and having several homes.

He was born on the 1st February 1847 to John Harrop and Caroline Wharton in Ancoats. John and Caroline appear to have moved to Manchester from Hull, as his older sisters, Ellen and Ann, born 1842 and 1843 were born there. He had one more sister, Sarah who was born around 1849

The family moved to Dukinfield , then Reddish and as a boy he worked in the Stockport cotton mills. In order to earn extra money he took up an agency selling an illustrated Bible in parts. He was so successful in selling to his fellow millworkers, that he was soon earning much more than he earned in the mills, and so set himself up as a bookseller on Deansgate in Manchester. Even here he innovated, and commissioned portraits of political celebreties such as Gladstone and Chamberlain, and having them framed and selling them in their thousands at a handsome profit.

His rapid accumulation of wealth can be seen by his frequent upward moves. In late 1870 he married Elizabeth Farrar, and was living at Old Road in Heaton Norris, moving by 1881 to 69 Reddish Road in Stockport, in 1891 they were living at Richmond Hill on Gatley Road in Cheadle, but they also had a property at Struan, in Storrs Park Windermere and 91 Piccadilly Manchester. 91 Piccadilly is still there and is now a Spar

We can see how he rises in wealth through his declared occupations on the census. In 1871 he is a cotton mill warper, by 1881 he is a print dealer by 1891 he is a bassinette manufacturer and finally in 1901 he is a house furniture dealer. By 1906 he had become Lord Mayor of Manchester. However, he never forgot his humble roots, we can see that by his speeches and the causes he promoted. An autodidact, he was proud to have been able to send his seven sons to Manchester Grammar , and in a speech there, in contrast to the proud boasts of the preceding speakers he said: “The principal schooling I got, was at night-time in a barn. We paid a penny a week and took our own candles.” Harrops basinette and furniture became a nationwide chain of furniture stores, he had a factory on Bury street in Stockport and Harrops branched out from there.

He was not only successful in business but also in politics and made powerful connections. On 24 July 1904, Winston Churchill attended a Liberal Garden party in Heaton Mersey in the grounds of Highfield, and stayed overnight with the Harrops at Heaton Lodge, Louis Botha, the first Prime Minister of South Africa also stayed there. Hans Geiger and Ernest Rutherford were also visitors.

John Harrop also promoted worthy causes, and the grounds of Heaton Lodge were also host to many fundraising events, he was active in the Temperance movement , but my favourite of his causes is the Ada Leigh Homes for British and American Girls in Paris, the Manchester Guardian reports on 4 May 1911 that he held a fundraising garden party for the cause. This charity provided free accomodation for British Colonial and American Ladies in Paris. In 1908 Mrs Harrop is reported as to be organising food parcels for the unemployed of Manchester.

Finally, we have Mr Harrop to thank for securing Platt Fields Park for the people of Manchester. For leisure, he was a keen salmon fisherman, holidaying often in Scotland, and all to ready whilst at his club, to relate his adventures to anyone willing to listen

John and Elizabeth purchased Heaton Lodge in July 1902. They had eight children, Arthur, John Walter, William Gladstone, Maud Elizabeth, Frederick Hardy and Rowland Hill. None was born at Heaton Lodge. However, because of Rowland Hill, we get our first glance of Heaton Lodge itself:

Rowland would have been ten when he wrote this, Miss Tomlinson he will have met on holiday at his fathers Lake District home, and although we only see the outside, it shows an enticing picture of Heaton Mersey in the snow. The wall means that I was able to match this up to more recent pictures which at least show what it looked like from Didsbury Road.

John was also a modern man, he abandoned horse and carriage for motor vehicles, and admitted quite wryly in an advert in the Manchester Courier on 3 July 1909: “Capes Dunn and Co, beg to announce the receipt of instructions from John Harrop, Esq (who is giving up horse-keeping in favour of motoring) to sell by auction on Monday July 12 1909 at two o’clock prompt, at Heaton Lodge, Didsbury Road, Heaton Mersey, near Manchester, valuable carriages, horses etc….” 

John died on 23 September 1916 at Heaton Lodge, and once more the property was put up for sale in 1919. The Manchester Guardian advertised it as follows: “For sale, Residence called Heaton Lodge Charming situation, Didsbury Road, Heaton Mersey, near Manchester, in an elevated position, overlooking Cheshire with entrance lodge, stabling for four horses, (motor vehicles were clearly not established) coachhouse, conservatory. The house contains dining room, drawing room, morning room, excellent billiard room and nine bedrooms and dressing room, all with modern convenience. The grounds are well wooded and inexpensive to maintain. The property is freehold and contains 14,510 square yards of land or thereabouts. A protion thereof containing 9,165 square yards is subject to the payment of a yearly ground rent of £38 3s 9d. 

Immediate Possession Reasonable Price AR Brett & Co Ltd 4 Piccadilly Manchester” In his will, he left a net £59,535, which at 2019 prices is around £4m. Of his children, Arthur was destined to succeed him, but died in 1908 at Edgeley Road in Stockport and is buried at Southern Cemetry. William Gladstone Harrop became the main owner of John Harrop furniture Limited and served in World War one as a Private in the Royal Army Medical Corps. He died in 1939 in Wendover in Hale . Maud died in 1920. Frederick was a Lieutenant in the Tank Corps, and entered the War in France on 21 September 1918 Rowland Hill who wrote the lovely postcard joined the Merchant Navy and travelled regularly between Manchester and New York, and is shown entering 4 times between 1929 and 1932 at the height of the Jazz Age, Unfortunately he was killed at sea on the City of Guildford on 27 March 1943, age 49, as a result of enemy action by UBoat U-593 which fired 4 torpedoes at his convoy off Derna in Libya. Three hit home and he is remembered on the memorial at Tower Hill in London.

Any questions please feel free to ask before you bid.    

 

ABOUT US

Royal House Antiques is a privately owned family ran business founded in Wimbledon SW19 and now based in Pulborough RH20. We specialise in finding, restoring very fine luxury antique leather seating, along with every single other type of antique ranging from the 16th century to the 20th century. We also stock a number of designer brands such as Fritz Hansen, Ralph Lauren, Cavalli, Charles & Ray Eames, Vitra, David Linley, Rolex, Tiffany, Jager Le Coulter and so on     

 

PAYMENTS

We accept payment via Bitcoin, Bitcoin cash, Ethereum, Bacs, Chaps, PayPal or Card, we would kindly ask that all items are paid for within 48 hours and collected within 7 working days, we can hold all paid items for 14 days free of charge, there after a £20 a week storage fee will apply. We have long term storage which is very economically priced, we are happy to hold stock for as long as needed providing it is arranged prior to the purchase 

If sold items aren’t collected within three months and no arrangements have been made for long term storage you will forfeit the item and payment

 

CONDITION

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   

 

DELIVERY OR COLLECTION

This item is available for collection from our Pulborough warehouses RH20-1DF by appointment only, alternatively we can have it delivered nationwide to include Scotland, Wales and Ireland for a fee

Please contact me via email, alternatively my contact information is under the business seller section of the listing, with your postcode for a delivery quotation, as mentioned above the fee listed covers with the M25 for the UK, for international deliveries the amount listed covers local Europe only so parts of Belgium and France

Please be sure to include which item you would like to buy as the price is determined on size and distance, if you would like more than one piece of furniture the courier offers a substantial discount on the second and third item, for international shipping please view the below information   

  

COURIER, LARGE ITEMS ONLY THAT CAN’T BE POSTED

We can arrange delivery nationwide, mostly with our nominated couriers, for Europe we use one reasonably priced professional company that we trust, for the rest of the world we use international shippers that can send any size item crated via air freight within 7-14 days after crating or soft packed and container shipped via sea freight within 30-60 days. The time frames outlined are guides only, non-domestic shipping is almost entirely governed by the airlines, sea freight loading times and custom clearances

Whomever delivers will always require help on the larger items to unload, the price you will be quoted will always be based on this assumption, if this is not possible, please let us know as it will affect the price to send a two-person 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-£20 per flight per man per item, if you have a working elevator then naturally there’s no additional fee

All courier fees are paid by yourself directly to the courier company, the contract for delivery is between yourselves the client and whichever courier you chose from those available I’m happy to accommodate your own courier after a cleared payment has been received, they need to book in a collection time with at least 24 hours notice, all collections must be made within 14 working days of the close of the sale unless agreed by prior arrangement  

 

IMPORT DUTY

Most countries charge some kind of import duty however almost all of our items won’t incur any charges as the items are exempt from tax due to the age and materials used

For European deliveries the price you will be quoted will include all clearance documentation and any customs charges so there won’t be any additional fees

For international deliveries such as the United States there can be some import duty to pay and or a clearance fee, I would estimate that 99% of all deliveries clear customs without being stopped for either

All duties are the responsibility of the purchaser who is the importer, they can’t be covered by the seller or shipping agent or factored in with additional retrospective discounts

 

RETURNS

Royal House Antiques offers a no quibble return policy if the item is not as described, if there are any issues with the piece you will be refunded in full once the item has been returned and inspected within 14 days, alternatively if there is a small issue, we can discuss finding a mutual resolution that makes all parties happy

We don’t offer a sale on approval service which means you can purchase the item, have it delivered and if you simply don’t like it, return it, this comes under change of mind or doesn’t fit. There is a lot of time, money and work involved in transporting goods around the world, the costs incurred can be vast so my advice would be if you are unsure on a piece please ask as many questions as you like to make sure you understand everything before you buy, if you are still unsure then please either arrange a viewing in person or if that’s not possible then don’t buy from an online retailer, perhaps look for a local gallery instead