Antique Corner and Rocking Chairs, Edwardian Oak Chairs
CHAIRS rocking and special purpose
A typical Edwardian child’s chair in birch or beech, originally either white-painted or stained. The lower mechanism allows the chair to be set in a lower position or, additionally, to rest as a ‘rocker’ on the ground. Quite a common and popular child’s chair in the pre-1914 period. 1900-1914
A typical turned spindled rocking chair of a type made in large numbers. This example has been recovered.
A folding ’safari’ chair, shown both open and closed, suitable for collapsing and portage by a bearer. The turned legs unscrew from the frame for further dismantling and carriage. It is made of mahogany with cane seat and back and is quite strong. When the lady concerned was tired, the chair was easily set up and she could be carried by native bearers. Made by Ward & Co. until the 1920s.
CHAIRS small Edwardian oak
The period from 1900 to 1914 saw the mass production of a large number of small chairs of rather square proportion, made in oak. Some had drop-in seats, some were rushed, some simply webbed and upholstered with a shiny rexine covering. Their design was quite simple and functional; the legs were either square section tapering or turned and the back, fairly severe in outline, leant sometimes to the 18th century and sometimes to more modern, art nouveau designs for its style. Individual comment on each version would be
either unrewarding or unwise. Suffice it to say that they are still a source of cheap matched seating. The selection below and on the opposite page shows a small part of the total variations that were made. 1900-1914
CHAIRS corner
Here is an early 20th century reproduction of a ‘Chippendale’ type, with a drop-in rush seat. The square legs and turned back supports are correct copies of the original, as are the fretted splats which are a Chippendale design. This version is made in oak to accord with the ‘country’ connotations of the rush seat. If made in mahogany, the drop-in seat would be upholstered. Would almost certainly be sold as 18th century. 1900-1910
A rather feebler version with a half-circular back rail and a single central splat inlaid with a Sheraton ,shell’. The thin seat and spindly legs make it look easily destructible. An intermediate step to a rounded chair the next stage is to make the seat round instead of square. 1900-1914
There seems to have been a revival of the corner chair, which had languished after the end of the 18th century, in the 1870s. Why is a mystery, for it is an essentially masculine, leg-separating and inconvenient form. Richard Norman Shaw designed rush-seated corner chairs for E. W. Horsley’s house Willesley, with a cabriole front leg and rather early 18th century form, stained green, in the late 1860s and, before that, a type based on late 17th century models for his own office. The corner chair fascinated Shaw, so perhaps he is responsible for its revival; his interiors show several types. It is clear from furnishers’ catalogues that, by the end of the century, there was a steady demand for them.
Another more Edwardian variant in the mahogany corner chair the splats are of 18th century design origin but the top rail at the corner has been embellished with the pedimented shape so dear to Edwardian hearts. The seat upholstery is fixed and finished with brass studs round the edge. 1900-1914
And here it is the fully rounded `corner’ chair in which the seat as well as the back rail are of circular shape. There is now no particular reason to think of it as a corner chair except for the centrally-placed front leg, which ensures a limb-separating posture for anyone seated straight on the chair.
A mahogany corner chair of much more Edwardian form but still based on 18th century design, this time late Sheraton. The drop-in seat is covered with tapestry and the back has an inlaid satinwood ’shell’ in it.
Tags: 18th century, art nouveau designs, CHAIRS, edwardian, modern art, revival, small chairs, square legs, square proportion