King Charles III’s Coronation Chairs Are Headed to the Auction Block
In May, millions of viewers watched King Charles III’s coronation from home, perched on their family sofas and lounge chairs. Those who attended the ceremony IRL were treated to a slightly more royal seating experience via a set of 100 velvet-upholstered chairs crafted specially for the ceremony. Now, you can bring that exclusive set home, as Christie’s is auctioning off six of these chairs via its online platform, the Collector, starting October 13.
The blue velvet chairs were crafted by cabinetmaker N.E.J. Stevenson and are made with British oak. They were built as part of a collaboration with the Snowdon School of Furniture, and many of the frames were made by the academy’s young graduates—a prestigious commission, but one that required a bit of finesse from both teams. “We were delighted to be asked,” Neil Stevenson, the company’s owner and managing director, told ELLE DECOR in advance of the coronation. “Unfortunately, time was not on our side as it was not until mid-February that we received the go-ahead to manufacture, giving us and the royal household upholsterers only 11 weeks to complete.”
The auction will raise funds for four charities selected by King Charles III and Queen Camilla: Emmaus UK, SafeLives, the Prince’s Trust, and the Prince’s Foundation. Proceeds will be split evenly between the four organizations, with a pair of chairs being sold in London, New York, and Paris. Estimates put the New York sale at $3,000 to $5,000 for the pair, but if you’re still on the hunt for another pair of seats, no worries—additional coronation chairs will be offered at private charity sales by Christie’s in the future.
You Might Also Like
