Grand chairs owned by Guinness family set to fetch £12,000 after going under the hammer for first time in 40 years

Two mid-19th-century chairs that once belonged to the Guinness family are set to go under the hammer at Olympia Auctions in London.

The chairs, crafted in Bombay around 1850 for the home of India’s last Sikh Maharajah, Duleep Singh, have remained at Elveden Hall in Suffolk since the Maharajah’s time.

Following his death, they passed into the hands of the Guinness brewing family when Edward Cecil Guinness, the 1st Earl of Iveagh, acquired the estate in 1894.

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The rare chairs have not been offered for public sale in over 40 years and are expected to attract significant interest from collectors, with estimates that they will fetch up to £12,000.

Made of dark Bombay Blackwood, the chairs feature tall everted backs, intricate carving, and pierced detailing, including Indian motifs and stylised acanthus friezes.

They exemplify the celebrated Anglo-Indian style of furniture from the mid-19th century.

Nicholas Shaw, specialist at Olympia Auctions, said: “These chairs bear witness to Maharajah Duleep Singh’s admiration for quality craftsmanship and his efforts to create a home that reflected both his Indian heritage and his place in English society.

Due to their legacy, quality, and craftsmanship, we anticipate wide interest.”

The chairs were originally commissioned during Duleep Singh’s time at Elveden Hall, purchased in 1863 with the vision of blending English and Indian styles, as reported by What’s The Jam.

The estate became a hub for high-society events, with guests including Queen Victoria, who was godmother to several of his children.

After the Maharajah died in 1893, Elveden was purchased by Edward Cecil Guinness, and the chairs remained in the house, preserved as part of the estate’s long family legacy.

The chairs are offered in Olympia Auctions’ Indian, Islamic, Himalayan, and South-East Asian Art sale, with an estimate of £8,000–£12,000.

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