Early 1700`s Antique Chairs
Early XVIII Century Chairs
EARLY in the 18th Century, Queen Anne-style chairs had a solid, narrow splat, usually of a vase or baluster shape, which fitted into the centre of the back rail. The frame tended to be straight and narrow, with rounded shoulders, and the seat was rounded or balloon-shaped with an upholstered seat.
Queen Anne chairs were usually made of walnut, although vernacular versions were made of elm or oak. They had slightly cabriole legs and pad feet. The earliest versions had Hat or turned stretchers.
During the second quarter of the 18th century, squared seats became more common. The seat rails were shallower and often shaped, and sometimes had carved or applied shells in the centre. Chair backs had
serpentine crest rails terminating in scrolls or volutes and the back splat was wider. The upper section of the back splat sometimes had scrolled ears close to the intersection with the top rail. On very fine examples,
splats were sometimes carved at the edges.
The knees of cabriole legs were now more pronounced and frequently carved with shells or husks, or had carved volutes attached below them. Most chairs still had pad feet, but claw-and-ball feet first appeared in
about 1725 in Britain and around 1740 in the American colonies.
Chinese furniture makers produced chairs that were similar in style for the lucrative European market.
The back splats is solid and an inverted baluster shape.
Carved roundels echo the decoration on the crest rail.
Shell motifs are often found on cabriole legs of the period.
ENGLISH SIDE CHAIR
This is the ultimate example of a George I side chair. The solid, inverted baluster-shaped back splat slips into a shaped shoe. Rounded shoulders form a continuous S-shape to the stiles, which terminate in volutes.
Carved shells adorn the centre of the crest rail and appear on the shaped knees. The balloon-shaped seat is
upholstered in needlepoint. The front of t-e seat rail has a cartouche in the centre. The cabriole front legs have claw-and- ball fee- the back legs have block feet. This type of chair was copied all over Britain, Europe.
the colonies, with chair-makers drawing various elements depending on their cl
c.1720.
ENGLISH SIDE CHAIR
This is an early example of a Queen Anne side chair. The back splat is solid, the shoulders and stiles are slightly curved, and the slip seat is balloon-shaped. The chair is attributed to John Yorke on the basis of the
design and construction. c.1710.
CHINESE ARMCHAIR
This open-style armchair, made of solid padouk, incorporates a variety of different elements. The solid splat is shaped but the stiles below the shoulders remain straight. The splayed cabriole legs are shorter than those seen on European examples. c.1740.
AMERICAN SIDE CHAIR
This walnut chair from Massachusetts displays a mixture of styles. It has the slim back splat and turned stretchers popular at the beginning of the century, while the square slip seat and curved legs are more typical of the mid century. It represents a transition between Queen Anne and Chippendale styles. c.1745.
PERUVIAN ARMCHAIR
This mahogany chair reflects the Rococo style. The crest rail has asymmetrical central carving. The sinuous moulding continues from the crest rail down the stiles and onto the arms. The legs are cabriole-shaped with
C-scrolls on the knees. The pierced splat may be a later replacement. c.1750.
INTERPRETING THE FRENCH STYLE OF CHAIRS
During the 18th century, the European nobility and the increasingly influential middle classes sought more elegant surroundings and rooms in which to entertain and converse, and with this came more comfortable
furniture, which invited visitors to linger.
This desire for a more sociable environment led to the development of new chair styles. French craftsmen created the fauteuil, an upholstered armchair with open sides. This feminine-looking piece influenced the
development of chairs around the world, and allowed the occupant to entertain in comfort.
Compared to the heavy-looking, high-backed chairs of the 17th century, these armchairs were lighter and more refined in shape, reflecting the fashion for feminine Furnishings. The), were often decorated in the same style as the room’s other furnishings, using similar colour and fabrics.
The seat and back of the fauteuil were upholstered to make the chair more comfortable. The armrests
were also padded and covered in the same fabric. The arms were set further back around a quarter of the length of the side-rail in order to accommodate the large, hooped skirts that were fashionable with aristocratic ladies from around 1720.
Decoration was often asymmetrical in the Rococo style, incorporating shells and rocaille. Raised on cabriole legs, the entire frame of the chair was a mass of graceful curves. Usually painted in pale blues, greens and yellows to match the colour scheme of the interior, the exposed framework might also have gilt decoration to emphasize both shape and carved detail.
Cabinet-makers all over Europe strove to emulate and surpass the talents of their French counterparts in meeting the demands of their wealthy clients, many of whom were hungry for furniture in the French taste. Interpretations of the fauteuil were plentiful throughout the continent, and the fauteuil became the seating style of choice for the most fashionable European homes in the early 18th century.
Italian Armchair Inspired by the fauteuil, this Italian example has a higher, more oval back with intricate gilt carving. The pastel paint reflects the French fashion for more subtle surroundings. c.1750.
German chair This chair emulates those of contemporary French cabinet-makers, whose influence can be seen in the ornate, rocaille carving and the pale colours of the floral-embroidered silk upholstery. NAG
English armchair Essentially French in style, the later date of this armchair by Ince and Mayhew is evident from the square, tapering legs and Neoclassical decoration, which were fashionable from the 1760s.
French Fauteuil The elegance of the gentle curves is emphasized by the gilt decoration. The shell motifs on the crest rail and the knees are typical of the period.
CANTONESE SIDE CHAIR
The wide, undulating shoulders of this chair and the unusually wide splat indicate that the chair is of non-European origin. The crest rail and back stiles are made from one piece of wood, which is typical of Chinese furniture. c.1730.
SWEDISH ARMCHAIR
The back splat of this mahogany chair is unusual in that it terminates into a back stretcher rather than into the seat of the chair. A stylized carved shell decorates the crest rail and serpentine apron. This chair also has
turned stretchers, even though they were no longer fashionable at this time. c. 1755.
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