The chairs appear in the volume of photographs “The House of William Burges ARA “(1885) compiled by Burges’ brother-in-law, R.P. Pullan, now in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London (V. & A. 51 E 54) plate 19 and a sketch for merman and mermaid chair backs on sheets, 27 and 30 in the V&A Burges’ ‘Furniture Album’ (93. E8) originally with rush seating. The chairs were used at Tower House, the home Burges designed for himself in Melbury Road, Kensington, London. Similar chairs are recorded as being based on bedside chairs in Burges’ rooms at 15 Buckingham Street, Strand, London. Such painted furniture by Burges is considered to have influenced some of the Morris firm’s early work.
