An antique collection of Howard & Sons chairs that belonged to Carl Merry, the well-known former Altrincham Market trader, is to be auctioned in April.
Carl was a common sight on Shaw’s Road in Altrincham town centre - come rain or shine - where he ran his Ashley Upholstery Company stall for 16 years, although he had been working as an upholsterer since he was 18.
In between chatting to customers, he would display his fabric books and show off his skills on a chair he was restoring.
Sadly, Carl’s health had declined in recent years and he died suddenly in August 2023.
In a tribute at the time, Altrincham Market described him as “unbelievably talented when it came to his craft”.
In the years before his death, Carl had developed a passion for Howard & Sons chairs and started a collection with the intention of restoring them for sale at antique fairs.
Howard & Sons has been a furniture maker in London since 1820, and their sofas and chairs became very popular among the upper classes.
As well as supplying furniture to the Savoy Hotel, they received a number of Royal Appointments and collaborated with Gillows of Lancaster.
Carl’s collection, as well as The Ashley Upholstery Company’s stock including sewing machines, fabrics, hides and webbing, is now being auctioned by Capes Dunn & Co Fine Art Auctioneers.
The auction will take place on Wednesday 3rd April at 11am.
Catalogues and bidding are available online at capesdunn.com. To contact Capes Dunn, email capesdunn@gmail.com or call 0161 432 1911. Address: Capes Dunn, 40 Station Road, Heaton Mersey, SK4 3QT
