Coronation of King Charles III; Chairs of Estate
For the Coronation of King Charles III Humphries Weaving has continued the proud royal weaving tradition of East Anglia by supplying pure silk damask for the Chairs of Estate upholstery. The Chairs of Estate will be used during the early parts of the Service and for the Coronation of Her Majesty The Queen Consort.
With thanks to the Royal Family website for sharing this press release;
https://www.royal.uk/news-and-activity/2023-05-01/historic-chairs-to-be-reused-for-the-coronation
“In preparation for the Coronation, Gilding and Furniture Conservators from the Royal Collection Trust have cleaned, restored and consolidated the giltwood frames. New silk damask was woven by the Humphries Weaving Company, Suffolk to the same pattern with which they were originally upholstered.”
Upholstery of the Chairs of Estate (c) Royal Household / Royal.uk
The design, in striking Campari colourway, includes foliage and a large sunflower motif, on top of which the new cyphers have been hand embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework; created with cloth of gold, woven with a metal thread. King Charles III Coronation Chairs of Estate were skilfully upholstered by craftspeople the Royal Households own workshop.
Chairs of Estate silk damask weaving (c) Humphries Weaving
Humphries Weaving also supplied silk thread to Heritage Trimmings, who produced trimmings for the Throne Chairs.
“New silk braid and trellis fringe, replicating the original trimmings of the Throne Chairs has been woven by Heritage Trimmings Ltd of Derby. The silk was produced by The Humphries Weaving Company, Suffolk, and the silk for the fringe has been specially dyed by Gainsborough Silks, Suffolk. The Royal School of Needlework conserved the original embroidered Coat of Arms on His Majesty’s chair before transferring it onto the new velvet.”
In preparation for the Coronation, the Chairs have been conserved by the Royal Collection Trust’s Furniture Conservators. The crimson silk velvet has been replaced with new velvet and trimmings and the chairs reupholstered by the firm of AT Cronin Workshop Ltd.