This ebonised beech armchair with a curved back was first produced by Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co., as part of their popular ‘Sussex’ range of furniture from about 1863. Inspired by early-nineteenth-century prototypes, the distinctive features of this range include ebonised wood and rush seats. The design of this chair is traditionally attributed to the artist and poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828–82), a close friend of William Morris. A founding partner in Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co., he designed stained glass and furniture for the firm.