Queen Anne's State-bedchamber at Hampton Court Palace is another excellent place for the study of stools and settees carved with the varieties of detail mentioned in this chapter. There are eight stools and three settees without backs, displaying crowns supported by cherubs, plain S-curves, arched stretchers of the Portuguese style, and stretchers with convex and concave curves. There are also two gueridons, or stands for large china pots, consisting of convex and concave curves grouped together and finely carved with acanthus leafage.

The close alliance between Charles 11. and Louis XIV., during which the former was practically in the pay of France, had for one of its results the importation of the grandiose style of Lebrun and Boulle. That alliance which was to subsidise Charles into a position of independence towards Parliament, and in return to leave Louis a free hand for dealing with the Dutch, could not be carried through without a French ascendancy in English politics. The French king's instrument was Louise de Querouaille, who soon ingratiated herself with Charles and was created by him Duchess of Portsmouth. She continued in favour from 1670 till the death of the king in 1685. On October 4, 1683, John Evelyn describes her dressing-room: ' But that which engag'd my curiosity was the rich and splendid furniture of this woman's apartment, now twice or thrice pull'd down and rebuilt to satisfie her prodigal and expensive pleasures, while Her Majesty's dos not ex-ceede some gentlemen's ladies in furniture and accommodation. Here I saw the new fabriq of French tapissry, for designe, tendernesse of worke, and incomparable imitation of the best paintings, beyond any thing I had ever beheld. . . . Then for Japan cabinets, screenes, pendule clocks, greate vases of wrought plate, tables, stands, chimney furniture, sconces, branches, braseras, etc., all of massive silver and out of number, besides some of Her Majesty's best paintings.' Again he says on September 10, 1675 : 'I was casually shewed the Dutchesse of Portsmouth's splendid appartment at Whitehall, luxuriously furnished, and with ten times the rich-nesse and glory beyond the Queenes ; such massy pieces of plate, whole tables and stands of incredible value.' The first is a most valuable passage, not only for its general description of a fine room of the period, but also on account of certain details which are mentioned.

There is evidence here of the arrival of the Japan cabinet in England, and of the making of silver furniture. The few remains of the latter have perhaps fostered an idea that it was always very rare. At any rate there was plenty of it in the Duchess of Portsmouth's bedroom, and it is quite probable that amongst her 'tables' and 'stands' figured the table and pair of gueridons of this date whicn exist as examples of silver furniture amongst the treasures of the Crown. At Knole House there is a 'greate vase,' a mirror, and a table, the exact date of which is 1680. There are also two tripods or gueridons of the date 1676. The table, though almost an unique example in itself, gives valuable indication as to the period at which the convex and concave curves were in vogue, just as they are found upon certain of the cane-backed and seated chairs which I have already described. The legs of this table consist solely, in general shape, of these two striking curves. There is much elaborate decoration in repousse work all over them and the rest of the table, but as it is peculiar to this unique piece and the mirror belonging to it, it need not detain us.