MA: Old America, 1917. The introduction of bamboo-style turnings in Philadelphia is discussed in Evans. Antique chairs have a distinctive appearance, even when compared to exact replicas, especially when you look at the results of long use and age on the antique chair. The spindled backs come in several heights and shapes too, and that feature usually identifies Windsor chairs: "low back," "comb back," "bow back," for example. If you are unsure whether the chair is a reproduction or original, look for signs of age or newness. Unlike other chairs of contemporary date, which have open seat frames to receive upholstery or a woven bottom, the Windsor has a solid plank seat. A Lesson in Identifying Furniture Age. High-back and low-back Windsors, which evolved together, are similar to the point of the arm rail. Chairs as we know them have been around since at least the 1700s. The earliest American Windsor chair known is a red-painted Philadelphia example that dates from about 1720. Mass-produced chairs from the 19th century to modern times are often stamped with a manufacturer's mark. Each expository composition will probably have certain aim. 7). William Cox bill to Stephen Girard, April 28, 1786, Girard Papers, Girard College, Philadelphia, PA (microfilm, American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia). Furniture - Chairs - 1800-1899 Category List of Antiques, With Information and Images (Page 3) Private collection; photography courtesy of Winterthur Museum. Talk to dealers and collectors. The age factor is subjective: general antique stores label objects 50 years or older as antiques. The number of spindles in the back is a good gauge of age: The more there are, the older the chair. 6 (left): Bow-back Windsor armchair, branded by Joseph Henzey (1743–1796), Philadelphia, PA, ca. Wood shrinks with time, loosening joints, and use often wears hand carvings and embellishments smooth. Fig. Because the weight of the sitter is concentrated in the low back, a heavy, three-part, sawed and shaped arm rail maintains structural strength. Before that, the chair was essentially a stool with a back, and only the head of the house or the upper echelon of society sat in them. The saddled seat of white pine is modeled at the front corners with cushioned surfaces above rising edges. Philadelphia and New York City sack-back Windsor chairs are discussed in Evans. The early English settlers introduced the Windsor chair to the United States in the 1700s and various American designs have since evolved on this classic chair. 1755–1760. Nine spindles is a very old chair. Here are some of them. 3. H-stretcher and saddle seat. All rights reserved. One of the greatest telltale signs of a chair's age include the markings or tags left by the manufacturer. The development of the continuous-bow pattern is discussed in Evans. An example of an English or Victorian style rocking chair is the Windsor. Feb 21, 2015 - If you need help identifying windsor chairs, then you have come to the right place. NY: Deerfield, // Ormsbee. It fits so well, it looks like it was made for the space. The development of the Windsor chair reflected a growing understanding that chairs with shaped seats and curved backs suited the human body better than the older style chairs. Likewise, mid-century molded fiberglass chairs -- popularized by Charles and Ray Eames paired with manufacturer Herman Miller -- still influence plastic chair design, yet are distinguishable by their thin metal legs and noticeable fiberglass fibers. For example, an olive green recliner with yellow or orange flowers is most likely from the late 1960s to 1970s, as that type of print and color combination hasn't come back into fashion -- yet. In general, Windsor chairs were made of usually three different woods for structural and design reasons. Watch Ph.D. antiques appraiser Dr. Lori show you how to identify and value a painted Windsor chair from the 1800s. Anne. An early 19th century child's low back yew Windsor chair by Nicholson of Rockley. Others sat on stools and benches. Check the bottoms of chairs and drawers to look for different wood types. Use this guide to learn how to identify the different styles. The design was more suitable for use around the dining table than the fan-back chair’s, as the round back economized on space—an important consideration in an era when families tended to be large. Modern upholstered chairs may feature a tag listing both manufacturer and serial number or design name, which can be looked up on the manufacturer's website or on collector websites. ... Windsor Rocking Chair. In pre-Revolutionary years Philadelphia work commonly contained carved crest terminals with large volutes resembling those in formal Queen Anne chairs. I hope all my thoughts will prove useful, and you’ll find what you’re looking for! After finding a few, you'll likely be able to narrow down the general era the chair was made. This is a birdcage Windsor with rockers that may have been added. Maple and cherry furniture are usually American. He had made Windsor chairs for 45 years. Yellow poplar (seat) with maple, oak, and hickory. The ogee-curved arm pieces bring together the ends of the heavy back rail using lap joints secured with rosehead nails or wooden pins. Private collection; photography courtesy of Winterthur Museum. H. 44 5/8", W. (seat) 25 3/8", D. (seat) 16". Their program of classes was recognized throughout the … 64.1526. Determining the age of a chair is sometimes as simple as finding maker's marks underneath; other times, a good deal of research is required, especially since some popular chair styles have been reproduced for generations. Most people have encountered a contemporary Windsor chair, as the light, easy-to-carry English design has been reproduced for centuries. Technically, an antique is a piece of furniture with special value because of its age, particularly those pieces embellished with fine artistry. A good place to start when identifying furniture is often to figure out what period it's from. 1: Low-back Windsor armchair, Philadelphia, PA, ca. The Windsor chair was introduced in England in the late 17th century, and it was about 50 years later, around 1730, that the first American Windsor chairs were made in Research Windsor chairs. Windsors come in a variety of styles, including armchairs, side chairs, rockers, and - as many students of a certain age remember - writing chairs. For example, if the joints don't match up and the piece looks shoddily assembled, it's most likely a reproduction. H. 34", W. (arms) 24 1/2", D. (seat) 16 1/4". American Windsors. Antique furniture styles are still in use today and many reproductions exist. Other chairs hold a quiet mystery that needs to be coaxed into a story, one whisper at a time. But since this particular design goes back to the 1700s, the earliest Windsors fetch big bucks, selling for $3,000-$5,000 apiece. 2). Private collection; photography courtesy of Winterthur Museum. Those may interest you: Identifying the age of Thonet chairs and other Thonet furniture. Unlike other chairs of contemporary date, which have open seat frames to receive upholstery or a woven bottom, the Windsor has a solid plank seat. Originally, they were made by attaching rockers to a standard Windsor chair. Yellow poplar (seat) with maple, oak, hickory, and ash. Courtesy of Winterthur Museum. If it’s the same as the rest of the piece, it’s probably a reproduction. The Windsor Chair. Windsor chairs were first made in the 18th century, but examples made before 1790 are rare. Boston bow-back Windsor chairs and the work of William Seaver are discussed in Evans. 1760–1770. One of the greatest telltale signs of a chair's age include the markings or tags left by the manufacturer. Windsor chairs were an ergonomic design development in their day. Kathy Adams is an award-winning journalist and freelance writer who traveled the world handling numerous duties for music artists. The portraits noted in this paragraph are discussed in Evans. H. 37 5/8", W. (seat) 20 1/2", D. (seat) 17 3/4". There are even Windsor settees. When you're trying to determine the age of an antique, take a look at these parts and look for tool marks, slight variances in size and shape, and elongation of round parts (round wood contracts across the grain, resulting in an oval shape after time). White pine (seat) with birch and other woods. Difference Between a Sofa and a Davenport, How to Tell the Age of a Thonet Bentwood Wicker Rocker, Mental Floss: Screw This, Screw That: Why We Have Different Types of Screws. Windsor chairs were made in a wide range of styles and there are distinct regional variations from all over Britain and the USA where the form was equally popular. From the early 1700s to early 1800s, Windsor chairs were in widespread use in rural parts of England and known as garden chairs. Windsor Chairs, An Illustrated Handbook, by Wallace Nutting [leading New England authority], 1917. 2: High-back Windsor armchair, Philadelphia, PA, ca. 5: Bow-back Windsor side chair, branded by William Seaver (active 1793–1837), Boston, MA, ca. The name high-back was current in the colonial period; comb-back is a more recent term. What do stamped numbers mean on antique furniture? Copyright ©2021. A chair with mahogany parts can be dated to the late 19th century because mahogany was difficult to obtain before then. Every chair has its own story to tell. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. As the principal unit of construction, the Windsor plank fastens the turned and shaved members of the chair back and base, although the two structures are independent of one another. 1790–1800. The modeled tips of the back rail provide a smooth visual transition between the planes of the arms and the rail top. An important key to knowing a chair's story is finding its age. Philadelphia bow-back Windsor chairs are discussed in Evans. AntiquesandFineArt.com. Yellow poplar (seat) with maple, oak, and hickory. She writes travel and budgeting tips and destination guides for USA Today, Travelocity and ForRent, among others. In 1980 he taught Windsor chair-making around the United States and Canada you how to identify and value a Windsor. Chair with mahogany parts can be dated to the late 19th century Windsor chairs discussed! 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