Posted 13 years ago
pucktie
(1 item)
I have this chair and would like more info about it. Value and any details would be greatly appreciated. It's was my great-grandmother's, but I know little else.
Rocking Chair info needed | ||
| KristyB65's loves2 of 2 |  | |
I've been taught this is called a bentwood oak rocker.
I recently purchased this same chair at my local thrift shop. Mine has 4 slight differences. There are 3 straight rungs on the arm rails. One rung on the front of chair. There are metal rods running from the seat to the side rung. The finish of mine is light oak. Your's looks to be varnished?? It looks light wood underneath. The metal on the arms is actually brass. Have you found any other information about this chair?? Your's is the only one I've found on the internet. Thank you!
I missed something......where is the brass metal on the arms??
Look at the 4th picture. See the hardware? Those are brass on my rocker. They are also at the top of the arm rail where it attaches to the back.
I have on similar also. I purchaced in the 1960's and it was old then still holding up after 3 babies one good piece of furniture. It was purchased in Gloucester Mass and on the bottom of the chair it says S Bent & Bros Inc Gardner Mass also would like information about this chair. We paid $1.00 for it at house sale.
your rocker is made of english quarter cut oak by S Bent&Bros as stated by char38 above.you will find a lot of info on the net.they started in 1867 closed in 2001.period chair was made would be 1890-1910.value approx $200.00
Wow...$200.00! How can you tell what time period the chairs are from? Mine has no markings. Mine was bought for $55.00 at an antique shop.
S. Bent Brothers Furniture Inc. was esablished in Gardner, Massachussetts in 1867. S. Bent Brothers Furniture Incorporated was well known for its top-quality, early-American wood furniture for the home. Furniture that was manufactured through the factory had the stamp "S. Bent & Bros 1867" some where on the piece; usually hidden on the underside of the furniture. . Many consumers, including
antique collectors, have mistaken the 1867 stamp as the date that the piece was made; however it actually indicates how long the company was in businesss, and not a manufacturing date.Another misconception came about that some consumers may have wrongly believed that S. Bent stood for 'steel bent', as in the process used to curve the wood used in such pieces as the chair backs. S. Bent was the founder of this early-America wood furniture making company, Samuel Bent.Due to many issues and complications from prior years of service, the company was forced to sell its rights and was bought out in 2001. The company suffered many losses after being sued by their employees for unfair labor practices. Many employees complained of being worked long hours with no breaks, causing them to miss meals and become fatigued.S. Bent Brothers Furniture Incorporated pieces, because they were mass or factory produced, have not retained value well. The dollar value is minimal compared to handcrafted individual pieces from the same time periods, made by competing companies. The furniture may be better passed down throughout generations as a family heirloom, for sentimental value. The craftsmanship of the furniture is not to be questioned. It is obvious that the pieces are extremely sturdy and have the ability to last throughout the years. However, the pieces did lack the more personal touches and details that hand carved furniture from the same era had.
Thanks for the excellent history on this company. I just acquired a piece...a child's rocker and was trying to find this info!