The polescreens have rectangular banners of silk chenille-work, with scroll tripod bases. These are headed by goats masks surmounted by lions, wheatsheaves and crowns, 170cm high.
John Mayhew (1736-1811) and William Ince (1737-1804) founded a partnership of London furniture designers, upholsterers and cabinetmakers which they ran from 1759 to 1803.
The firm was much favoured by Brownlow, 9th Earl of Exeter (1725-1793), who purchased a significant number of items from them.
There was always an element of competition between Mayhew and Ince and the now more widely known Thomas Chippendale (1718-1779).
It has recently been suggested by experts that these polescreens may, in fact, possibly be attributed to Chippendale.
