Posted 12 years ago
Boattail71
(1 item)
I just bought a set of Larkins. I cannot find extensive information on them. I think I know what a #1 is but this set doesn't have the twists on the stiles. What does this mean? I have also read about a Larkin #6 chair but I don't know what the specific differences are.
I also have three Larkins with the rope twist stiles but they are missing the skirts. Would I be adulterating a Larkin and the purity of an antique if I swapped a skirt from one of these pictured and placed in on the "twist-stile" Larkin?
I have read about the extreme values of Larkin press-back chairs but I don't believe they have retained that value - at least not here in Colorado. I haven't found many antique folks who care much about them. And wish me luck to find someone who would care what a Larkin is and pay whatever they're worth if I ever decided to part with them.
Comments? Love to hear 'em.
When you get ready to replace the cane bottoms, if they are the type with holes instead of a groove, take it to somebody who does these things & pay them whatever they want. They earn it! I'm redoing one now with the perimeter holes & what a job. Will be ready for the rubber-room soon if not now.
Blunder,
Fortunately, these have the pressed cane with the groove. If you are caning your first chair I admire your determination. I remember my first hole caning job. I was lucky and had my father as a teacher. I can't imagine learning by reading a book.
What kind of chair are you caning?
Boattail, there's a book!! I did one of these chairs years ago & had completely forgotten what a job it was. Had no book then either. I can see that with the grove, it is easy. I actually almost grooved my chairs but a router won't go "thru" the back legs but now wish I had channeled out that part by hand. The one I did maybe 15 yrs ago lasted longer than the one I let a local do who used staples under. Un-weaving that stuff & then the strands have to go thru the holes in a natural order. I'm about 1/3 done with the 1st chair. I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT ANYMORE!!!
I feel your pain, blunder. I don't understand your "un-weaving" task and I wouldn't ask you to suffer through a painful explanation - and I'm not sure I want to know! I have seen staples holding cane from underneath. Yikes!
I'm impresse with your learning the hole caning process without the help of an expert (or book).
IMHO, don't cut grooves! At least not in an antique. I actually find the hole cane jobs more fun than the pressed/groove kind. I have an interesting problem with these Larkin chairs. They have pressed seats but the original grooves were damaged. Someone routed a new groove to the outside of the originals. I am actually planning on restoring the seats to match the original cane seat size from the factory. Ya, that means filling in the outside groove with grain-matching oak. (have I said "yikes" yet?)
The seats aren't square & the pre-made woven matting is. You have to undo the weaving back to where the holes are & thread the cane strands thru the holes. Almost half way now & still thinking about a plywood bottom!
You will never get wood to match the antique wood & will regret trying. Even when matching new wood perfectly, it will age differently with time. Unless you are going to paint the chairs, don't go that route unless you are talking about filling the inner groves.
Good point B. I have made similar repairs to decrepit chairs with good results. Good point about the aging issue. I will use a period donor chair for the oak. Wish me luck.
I would never paint an antique that wasn't originally painted - I don't want to be cursed at by a future restorer.
Hole cane: I "weave" a single strand of cane in and out of each hole (the holes in the wood frame of the chair seat). No staples necessary. Time consuming but its more fun than pressed seats with the groove.