Posted 14 years ago
jtaylorefi
(2 items)
i got this chair at auction. it appears to be hand made and very old. Does anyone know anything about this piece? It has been painted black the seat bottom is a soild contoured piece and the main round back is made of three pieces of wood. This chair is in great shape i would love to know how old it is and if i got a good piece.
I cannot be sure...but it looks like a reproduction of a bow back windsor chair. Traditionally these chairs were painted in one single solid color. The most popular colors included green, black, and read. The originals were painted with milk paint, and the pigment was made up of different organic materials (red=animal blood, black=coal, green=plants or grass). Based on my experience the truth to determining the age is under the paint. In the old days chairs were made with different kinds of wood (oak, maple, pine, ash, etc.). cabinet makers used whatever they could get their hands on, and then covered the inconsistency with different colors. Does the bottom of the seat have a tag or a stamped name? Nicholas and Stone mass produced chairs like these. It is a nice chair nonetheless, and most importantly it can be used as it was intended. ...for sitting! Enjoy