This exquisite Napoleon III 2-seater settee is in excellent order. Dating from around 1880, its graceful lines are built on sturdy bones - a mortised and tenoned frame. The settee has been upholstered to accentuate its fine lines and proportions. Its high back, deep, sprung seat and arms are buttoned in traditional diamond formation - the diamonds, however, decrease rather beautifully in size as the back tapers towards the arms. A piped top edge and buttoned skirt contribute to the piece’s charm. The settee is finished in Bonfield’s 'Lyme Bay' block print on natural linen (printed on their hand-cranked, vintage press) and the colour is ‘Lias grey’ - inspired by the tonal qualities of flagstones found in some local, ancient houses. The patina of the block print is a key feature of the piece - it both enlivens the settee yet sits comfortably with its antiquity. All four legs (the front two of which are in a cabriole style) come with their original brass castors and have been repainted to match the old colour, then beeswaxed. Webbing and upholstery have been executed in the traditional manner - materialsbinclude French horsehair, hessian, calico and metal tacks. Such an elegant yet compact settee would sit beautifully in the living room, bedroom or hallway of a period home. Like all our block-printed pieces, it is a one-off.

Our 'Lyme Bay' block print celebrates the local seascape - sometimes dramatic, sometimes serene, often treacherous. Closely inspect a textile printed with this block, and you'll see thousands of individually cut marks which lend it a woven appearance. Like Lyme Bay (or 'Dead Man's Bay' as it used to be called), the design isn't what it seems on the surface.