Posted 9 years ago
philmonttr…
(1 item)
Not sure where my dad picked this chair up. Whether it was from auction, antique shop, or family member but remember having it when we moved to Florida in 1980. It looked real old then when he got it though, and doesn't look bad for having it around parents' houses last thirty six years in humid Florida. The seat bottom was re-upholstered in the late eighties, dad took it to Cambridge, Ohio where my Great Uncle Jim and family own a furniture upholstering business (since 1938). Uncle Jim taught my dad how to re-do the seat bottom. The original spring set was re-used with new padding, patterned cloth and bordering tacked on as original. He left the old nails, (appear to be square heads) and didn't do anything to alter the finish, or remove what looks like a light shellacking that remains as the only protection from deterioration. After looking at what seems like thousands of chairs online I can't seem to find any information about this chair. Seems to be held together with wood dowels or pinions and glue, and some old type nails (corner angles, reinforcing seat frame). The legs are turned spindles, seat back has flat slats held in by a curved top rail with ends tapered to the spindled back leg extensions. The arm rests end with scrolls which have dowels inserted through for support and each is widened by inch or so in the middle for better arm support. The entire chair is oak (unexposed areas are rough sawn), except one of the rockers is another wood material (maybe ash or poplar), perhaps a repair made long ago. I think this chair is kind of a hybrid that was created by someone or company which liked different features of different rocking chair styles of the time? There are no markings or stamps that I can see. It's not quite a bannister type chair, nor a mission rocker, (I've just learned a few types of chairs on the internet) but would like to know if this chair should be left alone (valuable as is) or not valuable enough to keep me from restoring this beautiful rocking chair and make for usable heirloom for future generations. Thanks for your input...