These chairs are believed to have been sold, together with other surplus items from Abbotsford, near Melrose, some time after the death of Jean Maxwell-Scott in 2004. A further group of these oak dining chairs (now stripped of their old, dark surface) remain in the dining room at Abbotsford (see Clive Wainwright, ‘Walter Scott and the furnishing of Abbotsford: or the gabions of Jonathan Oldbuck Esq.’, The Connoisseur, January 1977, pp. 3-15, fig. 4).

Although George Bullock (1782/83-1818) had supplied furniture to Scott and, probably with the assistance of his associate Richard Bridgens (1785-1846), created the Armoury at Abbotsford (Wainwright, op cit., fig. 8), the design of the dining chairs post-dates Bullock’s death on 1 May 1818. Correspondence shows that the conception of the dining room had been under way during Bullock’s lifetime. The design of the chairs, however, was still being debated on 7 June 1818 when Scott’s friend, the actor Daniel Terry (1789-1829), wrote to Scott that: ‘The pattern chair is made but I did not altogether like the effect in execution ...’ and on 17 June referred to the ‘Chairs for eating room (to Mr. Atkinson’s taste and yours) ...’ (quoted by Wainwright, op. cit., p. 7). A group of eight watercolour designs for chairs, two of which are inscribed ‘W SCOTT ESQr’ (V&A, E.758-1982) include the one, shown below, which differs only slightly from the chairs at Abbotsford, themselves identical to the present pair. Although the designs in the V&A relate to designs in the ‘Tracings by Thomas Wilkinson, from Designs by the late Mr George Bullock’ (City Museums and Art Gallery, Birmingham, M.3.74), the identity of the artist is uncertain. In addition to Atkinson or Bridgens, an alternative suggestion might reasonably be the architect responsible for Abbotsford, Edward Blore (1787-1879).

Bullock’s workshop was not finally sold off until May 1819, and rates on the premises continued to be paid until March of that year. Thus, the facilities for the manufacture the Abbotsford dining chairs remained (see Martin Levy, ‘George Bullock’s Partnership with Charles Fraser, 1813-1818, and the Stock-in-Trade Sale, 1819, Furniture History XXV (1989), pp. 145-213, p. 148).