Howard & Sons chairs and sofas are certainly high up on the shopping list of the affluent and fashionable looking to create a stylish interior in both town and country. They have been, since the second half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, the classic staple of any fine English country house. And now with the resurgence in interest from a younger generation buying these houses, there comes with it a desire to furnish them properly, with good quality, period furniture, which of course includes pieces by Howard & Sons. Howard furniture is beautifully made to the highest standard, from the best quality materials and elegantly styled but with very generous proportions. Some might say it is English furniture design at its best. There is of course another very compelling reason for its enduring popularity, and that is it’s supremely comfortable. I would almost defy someone to find a more comfortable sofa or armchair and once you have settled yourself into one, you will find there is strong reluctance to remove yourself from it.
A Howard & Sons sofa sold for £16,500 at Cheffins in 2021
One of the many joys of Howard furniture is it just seems to get better and more comforting with age. Period furniture by the firm from the mid-19th and early 20th centuries can command considerable sums of money, particularly if offered in good condition and with the provenance of an established country house. We saw an example of this in 2021 when we sold a good early 20th century three seat Howard & Sons sofa from an important Suffolk country house. After a long-fought battle amongst several bidders it was finally knocked down for a hammer price of £16,500, but only after a Howard ‘Bridgewater’ armchair from the same house made £6,000. Both were covered in their original material and had all the hallmarks for success. In addition to this we recently offered a late 20th century two seat Howard sofa which was hammered down at £4,400 also having come from a Suffolk country house.
A Howard & Sons two-seater sofa sold at The Fine Sale in September 2023 for £4,400
All are popular, but the Portarlington and the Bridgewater models especially so. For anyone looking to buy furniture by Howard & Sons, key things to look out for are; a stamp and model number which should be found on one of the back legs, stamped castors, and very often a makers label is sewn to the underside of the seat. Another pleasing thing to find is the original monogrammed ‘H&S’ ticking under the loose cover. Chairs and sofas by Howard are often to be found here at Cheffins, and there are many dealers who specialise in them also.
To view the Howard & Sons sofa in The Fine Sale on 21st September, please click here.