Lot 130

This chair is rare surviving example of a suite of 'target back' chairs by George Thwaites thought to have been supplied to the National Bank of Australasia as part of the original furniture of its first building at 279 Collins Street, Melbourne, completed in 1858. Of the various forms of Thwaites's 'target back' chairs, ranging from the first around 1853 to more evolved forms through the later 1850s and 1860s, John Hawkins has identified the present form, of the earlier, more simple design but distinguished in having both the front and reverse of the back moulded and carved with a matching concentric design, as being those perhaps supplied to the Bank of Australasia (John Hawkins, 'Daniel Livingstone, I presume', Regional Furniture, 28 [2014], pp 142–157, particularly pp 152–155 and note to fig. 14b).

A matched set of six chairs of the same design, with backs moulded front and reverse and ascribed to the National Bank of Australasia was sold at Leski Auctions, Australian & Historical, 7 December 2024, lot 269.