Chair, tub-chair, library chair

This library or tub-chair chair was presented by the novelist, Charles Dickens to the photographer Charles Watkins. Charles and his photographer brothers John and George Herbert had a photographic studio in Camden Town, close to Dicken's London home. All three brothers photographed Dickens in posed portraits throughout his career. A portrait of the author taken by Charles and John in 1863, now held at the National Portrait Gallery, depicts him seated in a similar chair and is likely to be the same one, although it appears to have been re-upholstered in leather.
It is believed the chair was located in the study of Dickens home at Gads Hill, Kent and used by him while writing his novel A Tale of Two Cities, first published in serialised form in 1859.
It is likely, when gifted the chair, the Watkins brothers used it to photograph other sitters in their studio. Following the death of Charles Watkins the chair was purchased at a sale of his posessions in 1882 by the photographer Henry Thomas Reed who liived in Willesden. Reed subsequently gifted the chair to his neighbour and fellow local councillor John Trude Fripp as indicated on the plaques engraved on the chair arms that state 'Chair from Gadshill in which Charles Dickens is often photographed. Given by him to Charles Watkins of Torriana Avenue, Camden Town'. Another similar plaque attached to the right arm reads: 'Bought at Watkins sale by H.T. Reed and given in 1906 to John Trude Fripp'.