A Scottish Oak Armchair almost certainly made to a Sir Robert Lorimer design by William Wheeler, the Arncroach joiner. Pierced interlaced vase splat with central heart and scrollwork. It is a less commonly seen design however the pattern is shown in Scottish Venacular Furniture, Bernard Cotton (2008) plate 288. With drop in seat and needlepoint tapestry.
A similar suite of chairs were produced for Fortingall Church in Highland Perthshire at around 1913. At this time Sir Robert Lorimer was commissioned to design a new screen, pews and furnishings made of oak as a memorial to Sir Donald Currie by his family in 1913. Sir Robert Lorimer lived nearby at Kellie Castle and was known to utilise William Wheeler of Arncroach for furniture making and craftsmanship to produce his designs.
Wheeler, his son and grandson, both William, operated for approximately ninety years in Arncroach producing both Art Furniture and Vernacular interpretations of classical 18th Century designs.
