Posted 10 years ago
PaulnKitty
(17 items)
Okay, so this Chair comes from my Grand Mothers Family, they were originally from Ireland, but lived in the Peterborough area in Ontario, Canada. Don't know if it helps, I've got two questions.
1] Can anyone tell me what style of chair this is?
2] Do I repurpose it or bring it back to its original state?
Open to hear what people think.
I call it the Bug Chair for the top looks like eyes of a Bug, What is it really called, what Style of chair?
Love the name - and now I can't look at it and not laugh! Sorry.
The question to ask yourself is - will it be used or in the way if you restore it, and will repurposing make it better AND more useful? Mind you, my repurposing always fails so I'm not a good candidate for a smart answer.
It defies classification, because I think it's a bit of a Frankenstein. If the chair did not have its arms, its form would be that of a Victorian hall chair...
http://www.threetunsantiques.co.uk/userimages/procart5.htm (scroll down a bit for the Victorian hall chair)
http://www.antiquesmart.co.uk/Antique/202006/Pair_Of_Oak_Victorian_Hall_Chairs.html
http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/a-scottish-victorian-oak-hall-chair-by-4865081-details.aspx?intObjectID=4865081
What do you think? Do the arms and their shape appear 'stuck on', or are disproportionate or somehow inharmonious?
nope, the arm rests are part of the original design. Like the front leg goes straight up to the tip of the arm rest, one piece of wood. I believe it was designed like that, but I do think it has that Victorian look, I was wondering if it was Queen Anne at first cause of the way the legs are shaped. But I'm no where near knowledgeable in this area.
Welcome to CW.
I do not know what this chair is. I can tell you how I would look at it.
If it belonged to my family there would be NO way I would re-purpose it. This chair is in too good of shape for that. I would just clean it up and get a seat for it. Once I was sure it was not some rare valuable chair then I would probably restore it.
I'll have to post some Items I re-purposed.
I won't be much help but I found this interesting when you posted it. I did some searches (Canada and Ireland). I found very similar chairs only in the Ireland searches and most didn't have arms although a few did. They were listed on antique sites as mahogany dining room chairs. The seats were a raised padded type seat.
What you do with it is entirely up to you. From my point of view, the less you alter the better. Keeping it as original as possible, even with minor dings helps retain the value. While it may not be for sale today, tomorrow is another day and that value may well be important.
Well I've got the family stuff I want, I tiny Milk Stool that my dad used in his workshop, it's covered in paint....will post it someday, it's priceless. I also have a table my dad used in the workshop, same as the stool , priceless.
Shipping Trunks, the one in the back ground of my kids chairs, and then a cedar chest that my dad shipped stuff over in when He moved from England to Canada.
But as for the Victorian Bug Chair, it's up on Kijiji, if we find a home to restore it, it will go, if not we are likely going to do it up like a bug and put it in the garden. I know some are going to go Ahhh! when I say that, but if it can't find a home we will use it in a repurposed way.
But do not fret, I do believe I have a buyer for it.
I have found a carpenter who will be purchasing the chair and will be repairing it to it's original state. So it will have a good home.
So when he is finished the chair, he will send me a pic and I'll post it.