North Wind Chairs

Any further info, correction on age, idea's or suggestions on the light restoration I am doing is appreciated. ( I am looking for suppliers of cotton, horsehair, and wood wool)

I bought these chairs off a man whos father in law used to restore furniture that he collected on trips to Ireland Scottland England and Europe. Upon his father in laws death , these chairs were left. This mans daughter took them home where they sat untouched for another 30 years.

They have no makers markings, two different colored woods it seems. The carved portion on the bottom has a dark red *Mahogony?* the top seems to be an oak grain. They have a very fine dark stain shalack over the entire pieces. Horse hair is found when you look carefully in the tacks and springs. (someone stripped it all away and there are tell tail signs of old padding, I believe cotton as its white and fluffy)

Lots of square nail holes, black stained around every nail hole. There is a couple of large worm holes in one of the chairs. Smooth and crooked - not man made. (I dont understand the meaning of this but saw it mentioned many times.

The seller told me he seems to remember the father in law saying they were 1860+ made.

I want to finish them. Clean and wax only, then get the recovered with original springs etc.. the wood is hacked up though where the tacks have been placed. I do not intend to sell them ever, my children are already trying to work out who gets them when I die :) oh I know they love me.. lol.