Howard is that you?

A Howard and Sons chaise reupholstered with a tight buttoned seat in Jean Moro's Amelia (tan colourway).


Gathered edge detail which would not have been originally found on a piece by Howard and Sons. Just a case of showing off.

Howard and Sons was established in 1820 by John Howard, at 24 Orange Street, London. By 1854 the firm had expanded considerably and was situated in the heart of London's furniture district at 22 - 36 Berners Street. They worked for many important clients with important houses such as Sudbury Hall in Derbyshire and Elton Hall in Huntingdonshire.

Interestingly, while leading the way in innovation and engineering, Howard and Sons held onto many decidedly traditional upholstering techniques long after other manufacturers had abandoned them. Some of these methods were decidedly 18th Century and must have made Howard and Son's upholstery more costly. Features such as tenon jointed frames, a hard stitched front edge, and smooth chamfered frames meant that their upholstered pieces were not just comfortable, but also very hard wearing.

Still fashionable at the end of the 19th Century they provided the fittings for the Vanderbilt yacht. Their work is in the Royal Collection, and the Queen’s private collections at Sandringham and Balmoral, and a cabinet made in 1862 is in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The company ceased trading in 1947.

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