Old Chair Identification - totally OT

Hard to be 100% certain, but in my opinion it is an Edwardian dining chair, looks like oak, but picture too grainy to tell. Leather seat pad, unsprung, removable probably? John

One for the auction rooms I would have said. ;-)

Tim

Yep, definitely a chair. Quite a lovely one, too.

But, beyond that,

Guessing, I would put it as a dining chair from between the wars.

Out of curiosity, how do you define a "hall chair"?.

Chris

Looks like a typical 1930s dining chair to me. I have a couple, slightly more ornate, kicking around the house as clothes horses etc. A set of 6 might be worth keeping.

I have a set of 4 chairs and a carver not too dissimilar from that one. I inherited them from a relative and they were dated from the 1920s. They are dining chairs.

TOJ.

Good question! ISTR on one of the myriad of antiques programmes hearing a description of a chair intended for use specifically in a hall. This typically would sit in the panelled hall for a large house, certainly not joe public furniture. Can't remember what feature was highlighted as specific to hall chairs though :(.

Phil

Hall chairs were made in the same style as the other chairs but there was no padding or upholstery as they were intended for servants who would be stationed be in the hall ready to answer the door etc. They weren't made deliberately uncomfortable but neither were they made comfortable so as to reflect the lower status of servants.

michael adams

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Looks like a dining chair.

At first glance everything looks as though it could be machine turned then the bits fitted together.

If you turn it upside down is there any identification inside the frame of the seat?

It looks a nice chair, but a recent trip to an auction suggests that there is little demand - at least in our local area.

Cheers

Dave R

On Tuesday 11 June 2013 15:37 David.WE.Roberts wrote in uk.d-i-y:

It is without any doubt a dining chair - commonly came in sets of 4.

I have some that are similar (but without the twirly features).

My great aunt had some that looked very much like the picture.

Thanks Dave

I did have a squint under a chair last night and didn't see labels, but wasn't actually looking for identification. As Johno suggested, the seat is a wood frame with leather cover and webbing (unsprung). The seat is removable and sits on wooden gussets in each corner of the chair frame IYSWIM. The two chairs were part of a house clearance - unfortunately I don't know their history.

Phil

Thanks Michael

Yes that's the one! I remember thinking it was a bit rough on the staff at the time.

Phil

Thanks to all.

Interesting to know the general background - shame I have no idea of the specific history of these 2 chairs.

Phil

I have a small collection of Victorian hall chairs - made very largely for show, often Gothick, so they have elaborate backs, some with armorials, supposedly for visiting footmen to sit on, but that never happened. So they were intended to show that one expected servants to accompany one's visitors.

The chair on which we are consulted is a dining chair from 1910-1930 - quite nice. It might end up in a hall if one's dining room were small.

Geoff

That's interesting. Do you happen to have a source for that ?

It's always been my understanding that outside of the house* footmen acted as minders, and that upon the safe arrival of their employers at somebody's house, with the requisite degree of pomp and show, they would accompany the coach to the mews or the stables around the back.

While vistors to the front door would expect any knock or ring to be answered immediately, and any tardiness in this respect might be indicative of the host's not having sufficient staff.

Before the advent of bell pushes, in a large house, large numbers of servants might be posted in halls and corridors either standing or on uncomfortable chairs to keep them awake ready to answer any call.

michael adams

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Just out of curiosity I google- imaged barleytwist stretchers as your chairs are a bit of a stylistic mixture.

And came up with this

Peppermill Antiques Ltd Unit 9a Watling Street Business Park Watling Street Cannock Staffs WS11 9XG

A set of four identical to yours for which he's asking

However as a set of six is possibly worth more than a set of four if its reasonably local it might be worth a punt. He's likely to pay more than you'd get in an auction. It all depends on how close you are. And you can always email him a piccy on the off chance.

michael adams

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Thanks Michael

Interesting to have an idea of price/value but would prefer to hang onto them for now at least.

Phil

I know nothing about your chair, but may I piggyback and ask why are the front legs of such chairs more elaborate than the back ones?

Although with dining chairs the backs are on show as much as the front when in actual use, the usual rule is that the front of furniture chairs, cabinets, bookcases is always more elaborate than the back which is usually hidden against a wall.

In addition the back legs of chairs are usually all of one piece with the back, and are often curved for strength. And so this inhibits too much decoration. The back legs of even Chippendale Hepplewhite and Sheraton chairs usually have plain back legs.

The only exception to this is with windsor chairs and similar where all the legs are let into the seat, usually at a splayed angle, and which usually match.

michael adams

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