Oldest surviving upholstered furniture

Dating from 1661, William Juxon's chair and footstool is the earliest surviving example of upholstered furniture in existence. The beech-framed chair and footstool were upholstered in purple velvet with green and blue satin trim before a fringe of gold wire was added. William Juxon, for whom the chair and footstool were made, was the Bishop of London who attended King Charles I at his execution in 1649 and who later was present at the coronation of King Charles II on 23 April 1661. The chair and footstool were made for the Bishop's use at the coronation, a fact confirmed by the accounts of the Lord Chamberlain of the time, which record that upholsterer John Casbert received £4 for "making a rich purple velvet Chaire of State for the Bishop wth a foot stoole and seat cusshion suitable: fringed with gold fringes an double gilt nailes with cases of Bayes". The accounts also confirm that fringe maker Ralph Silverson was paid £29 for the gold trimmings.

Additional records list John Casbert as an upholsterer in London between 1660 and 1676, supplying furnishings for the royal palaces as well as fittings for royal yachts.

The V&A states that the Juxon chair and footstool comprise the earliest surviving example of upholstered furniture in existence.

In its simplest form, upholstery involves fixing padding and a fabric cover to an item of furniture.