The main types of windsor chair include sack back, hoopback, comb-back, continuous arm, low back, rod back and fan back. Some antique chairs have obvious stories, told in a loud voice. H. 37 5/8", W. (seat) 20 1/2", D. (seat) 17 3/4". If it’s the same as the rest of the piece, it’s probably a reproduction. Because the weight of the sitter is concentrated in the low back, a heavy, three-part, sawed and shaped arm rail maintains structural strength. The saddled seat of white pine is modeled at the front corners with cushioned surfaces above rising edges. Courtesy of Winterthur Museum. Windsors come in a variety of styles, including armchairs, side chairs, rockers, and - as many students of a certain age remember - writing chairs. After the 1830s, cushion designed advanced a bit and included springs, padding and webbing. Each expository composition will probably have certain aim. Yellow poplar (seat) with maple, oak, and hickory. I hope all my thoughts will prove useful, and you’ll find what you’re looking for! In the entry area of our living room, in our 100 year old house by the stairway, is a small sectioned off part of the room. Technically, an antique is a piece of furniture with special value because of its age, particularly those pieces embellished with fine artistry. 3 (left): Sack-back Windsor armchair, possibly by Thomas Ash I and William Ash I (active 1783–1794), New York City, ca. Most people have encountered a contemporary Windsor chair, as the light, easy-to-carry English design has been reproduced for centuries. An old Windsor rocking chair will show the signs of use that come with age. Examine the chair’s construction. Oak was the Windsor chairmaker’s principal choice for bentwork, as indicated in the crest piece, which exhibits the distinctive figure of that wood. High-back and low-back Windsors, which evolved together, are similar to the point of the arm rail. A good place to start when identifying furniture is often to figure out what period it's from. Determining the age of a chair is sometimes as simple as finding maker's marks underneath; other times, a good deal of research is required, especially since some popular chair styles have been reproduced for generations. Other chairs hold a quiet mystery that needs to be coaxed into a story, one whisper at a time. Before you can accurately determine the age of a Windsor chair, it is imperative that you do your homework. Nine spindles is a very old chair. Significant Furniture Design Periods. Introduced in Philadelphia in the mid-1780s, the new pattern was being made in all production centers within a few years. Windsor chairs were first made in the 18th century, but examples made before 1790 are rare. As the principal unit of construction, the Windsor plank fastens the turned and shaved members of the chair back and base, although the two structures are independent of one another. Unlike other chairs of contemporary date, which have open seat frames to receive upholstery or a woven bottom, the Windsor has a solid plank seat. One of the greatest telltale signs of a chair's age include the markings or tags left by the manufacturer. Beginning in 1980 he taught Windsor chair-making around the United States and Canada. A sack-back windsor arm chair in mixed woods with a chestnut seat on baluster and turned tapering legs. (4 vols) Books on Windsor Chairs Nutting. 1755–1760. Windsor chairs are still being made in the traditional way today. Windsor chairs were made in a wide range of styles and there are distinct regional variations from all over Britain and the USA where the form was equally popular. Scattered soling. There are even Windsor settees. Yellow poplar (seat) with maple and oak. The goal of this lens is to be a guide for the identification of both antique windsor chairs and the more modern varieties as well. 7). Study the construction. The ogee-curved arm pieces bring together the ends of the heavy back rail using lap joints secured with rosehead nails or wooden pins. The first name associated with the new form was “Forest Chair.” Nancy Goyne Evans. She enjoys exploring foreign locales and hiking off the beaten path stateside, snapping pics of wildlife and nature instead of selfies. Antique chairs have a distinctive appearance, even when compared to exact replicas, especially when you look at the results of long use and age on the antique chair. Philadelphia and Rhode Island fan-back Windsor chairs are discussed in Evans. Fig. Here are some of them. H. 34", W. (arms) 24 1/2", D. (seat) 16 1/4". Traditionally, the legs and uprights were usually turned on a pole lathe. A Windsor chair is a chair built with a solid wooden seat into which the chair-back and legs are round-tenoned, or pushed into drilled holes, in contrast to standard chairs (whose back legs and back uprights are continuous).The seats of Windsor chairs were often carved into a shallow dish or saddle shape for comfort. And in America, Windsor chairs were the seat of choice for the founding fathers. In general, Windsor chairs were made of usually three different woods for structural and design reasons. 5). Fig. 1790–1800. American Windsors. The color of paint matters, so see which painted colors to look for. 1783–1790. Chairs that have nails with uneven heads are older than chairs that might use machine-made nails from the 19th or 20th centuries. H. 36 1/4", W. (crest) 21 1/16", D. (seat) 15 1/2". There are some ways to identify the age of Windsor chairs. For example, a chair that is supposedly original, unrefinished and from the 1800s should not smell like fresh varnish or upholstery. 2: High-back Windsor armchair, Philadelphia, PA, ca. Maple and cherry furniture are usually American. ... Windsor Rocking Chair. The name high-back was current in the colonial period; comb-back is a more recent term. In 1994 he and his wife Susanna gave the craft a permanent home when they opened a school named ‘The Windsor Institute’. Windsor chairs were crafted from a variety of woods like pine and birch, with more than one type used in a single chair. Private collection; photography courtesy of Winterthur Museum. Those may interest you: Identifying the age of Thonet chairs and other Thonet furniture. A chair with mahogany parts can be dated to the late 19th century because mahogany was difficult to obtain before then. Antique furniture styles are still in use today and many reproductions exist. Elizabethan (1520–1620) Early American Style (1640–1700) A Lesson in Identifying Furniture Age. Difference Between a Sofa and a Davenport, How to Tell the Age of a Thonet Bentwood Wicker Rocker, Mental Floss: Screw This, Screw That: Why We Have Different Types of Screws. Chairs as we know them have been around since at least the 1700s. Following area work, the bow face is finished with a deep, broad channel. The chair has evolved greatly since that time, with numerous styles and materials from which to choose. Research Windsor chairs. Fine antique dealers consider objects 150 years and older to be antique. Every chair has its own story to tell. In the 1900s, synthetic materials such as upholstery foam and fiberfill entered the scene. The Windsor chair originated in England during the early eighteenth century. Although high-back Windsor armchairs were being made in Philadelphia by the mid-1740s, the refined models commonly associated with the design were not introduced to the local market until after 1750 (Fig. When identifying antique chairs, it's important to have a basic knowledge of the significant design periods and the important types of chairs. Visit museums that feature exhibits on early American life. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Before that, the chair was essentially a stool with a back, and only the head of the house or the upper echelon of society sat in them. Figure 5, from the shop of William Seaver (active 1793–1837), typifies the fine quality of many Boston Windsors of the 1790s. Sometime during the 18th century, chair makers decided that fluffy armchairs would be more comfortable than the bench-style seats that had been in fashion up to that time. Fig. Some useful clues can be found in the construction and composition of the seat. (2 copies). Early armchairs often had loose seat cushions stuffed with feathers. Fig. Windsor Chairs, An Illustrated Handbook, by Wallace Nutting [leading New England authority], 1917. The Philadelphia low-back Windsor chair is discussed in Evans. After finding a few, you'll likely be able to narrow down the general era the chair was made. NY: Deerfield, An example of an English or Victorian style rocking chair is the Windsor. Boston bow-back Windsor chairs and the work of William Seaver are discussed in Evans. 4 (right): Fan-back Windsor side chair, Rhode Island, ca. Phillips screws shouldn't be anywhere on the chair if it is truly old as these have been around only since the 1930s. The cylindrical-style rings of the medial stretcher were also exclusive to the Boston area. “The chair arrived yesterday without any problems and I am absolutely satisfied! In the 1800s, this stamp was often placed under the seat or inside a back leg. Private collection; photography courtesy of Winterthur Museum. Philadelphia and New York City sack-back Windsor chairs are discussed in Evans. Likewise, mid-century molded fiberglass chairs -- popularized by Charles and Ray Eames paired with manufacturer Herman Miller -- still influence plastic chair design, yet are distinguishable by their thin metal legs and noticeable fiberglass fibers. In pre-Revolutionary years Philadelphia work commonly contained carved crest terminals with large volutes resembling those in formal Queen Anne chairs. The design was more suitable for use around the dining table than the fan-back chair’s, as the round back economized on space—an important consideration in an era when families tended to be large. Anne. Others sat on stools and benches. Early Windsors, late 18th century and very early 19th century, had a single plank for a seat, with the grain running from side to side. When you're trying to determine the age of an antique, take a look at these parts and look for tool marks, slight variances in size and shape, and elongation of round parts (round wood contracts across the grain, resulting in an oval shape after time). Their program of classes was recognized throughout the … H. 37 3/8", W. (seat) 17 1/2", D. (seat) 16 1/16". Jan 19, 2015 - There are many different types of antique chairs, and each has a unique appearance. Windsor chairs were an ergonomic design development in their day. There may be more than one layer, indicating it has been painted many times over the years. The Philadelphia high-back Windsor chair is discussed in Evans. H. 44 5/8", W. (seat) 25 3/8", D. (seat) 16". Windsor Chairs The finished American Windsor chair is truly a functional work of art, built to last many years and destined to become a cherished heirloom. He had made Windsor chairs for 45 years. 6 (left): Bow-back Windsor armchair, branded by Joseph Henzey (1743–1796), Philadelphia, PA, ca. All rights reserved. An early 19th century child's low back yew Windsor chair by Nicholson of Rockley. H. 27 3/4", W. (arms) 28 1/2", D. (seat) 17". The chairs are named for the shape of the back. The number of spindles in the back is a good gauge of age: The more there are, the older the chair. The portraits noted in this paragraph are discussed in Evans. For example, if the joints don't match up and the piece looks shoddily assembled, it's most likely a reproduction. Identifying Antique Furniture or Good Reproductions. Generally, the older chairs will have the most spindles. Courtesy of Winterthur Museum. Yellow poplar (seat) with maple, oak, hickory, and ash. The Windsor chair was introduced in England in the late 17th century, and it was about 50 years later, around 1730, that the first American Windsor chairs were made in Traditional Chairs- Helpful Tips To Identifying Classic Windsor Chair Designs. One of the greatest telltale signs of a chair's age include the markings or tags left by the manufacturer. In the early 1700’s rocking chairs made of wicker were very popular in America. 2. From the early 1700s to early 1800s, Windsor chairs were in widespread use in rural parts of England and known as garden chairs. Most high-back chairs have a lightweight steamed and bent arm rail that provides adequate support, as the sitter’s weight is distributed along the entire length of the tall back. 1. Feb 21, 2015 - If you need help identifying windsor chairs, then you have come to the right place. Identifying the material stuffed into seat cushions helps identify a chair's age, but it's possible a chair was revamped somewhere along the way, with the original seat padding exchanged for updated fillers. (For the connoisseurs: It has style characteristics of William and Mary chairs.) // Ormsbee. Philadelphia bow-back Windsor chairs are discussed in Evans. Identifying the Age of a Rocking Chair Through Materials. For example, an olive green recliner with yellow or orange flowers is most likely from the late 1960s to 1970s, as that type of print and color combination hasn't come back into fashion -- yet. But since this particular design goes back to the 1700s, the earliest Windsors fetch big bucks, selling for $3,000-$5,000 apiece. The age factor is subjective: general antique stores label objects 50 years or older as antiques. This is a birdcage Windsor with rockers that may have been added. It fits so well, it looks like it was made for the space. Private collection; photography courtesy of Winterthur Museum. Fig. If the chair is painted, the paint may be crackled or peeling and even worn through to the bare wood in spots. 2). Unlike other chairs of contemporary date, which have open seat frames to receive upholstery or a woven bottom, the Windsor has a solid plank seat. Yellow poplar (seat) with maple and other woods. 1760–1770. The development of the continuous-bow pattern is discussed in Evans. The basic low-back form is that of a roundabout, or corner, chair adapted from formal design to stick-and-socket construction. H-stretcher and saddle seat. Private collection; photography by Winterthur Museum. The early English settlers introduced the Windsor chair to the United States in the 1700s and various American designs have since evolved on this classic chair. Wood shrinks with time, loosening joints, and use often wears hand carvings and embellishments smooth. Clues can indicate the date that a chair … The Windsor chair originated in England during the early eighteenth century. The introduction of bamboo-style turnings in Philadelphia is discussed in Evans. Watch Ph.D. antiques appraiser Dr. Lori show you how to identify and value a painted Windsor chair from the 1800s. Yellow poplar (seat) with maple, oak, and hickory. Look at images of chairs similar to yours online if you are unsure when your chair was manufactured. The bread and butter of the Windsor trade in the 1790s was the bow-back side chair (Fig. If you need help identifying windsor chairs, then you have come to the right place. Modern upholstered chairs may feature a tag listing both manufacturer and serial number or design name, which can be looked up on the manufacturer's website or on collector websites. Sometimes style is enough to tell how old a chair is, especially if that style was only popular for a short time. The earliest American Windsor chair known is a red-painted Philadelphia example that dates from about 1720. Use this guide to learn how to identify the different styles. In England, 19th century Windsor chairs were usually unfinished and waxed, whereas in America, Windsor chairs were usually painted. Talk to dealers and collectors. Windsor chairs offer a little more help. Copyright ©2021. On the end wall of that space this vintage breakfront secretary with bubble glass now sits. William Cox bill to Stephen Girard, April 28, 1786, Girard Papers, Girard College, Philadelphia, PA (microfilm, American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia). An important key to knowing a chair's story is finding its age. The leg profile is a Boston signature, with its short, bulbous baluster, thick ring, and swelled-taper foot, the last of these having been adapted from Rhode Island work (Fig. 1785–1790. 5: Bow-back Windsor side chair, branded by William Seaver (active 1793–1837), Boston, MA, ca. If you are unsure whether the chair is a reproduction or original, look for signs of age or newness. February 8, 2016. The development of the Windsor chair reflected a growing understanding that chairs with shaped seats and curved backs suited the human body better than the older style chairs. The Windsor Chair. 64.1526. The spindled backs come in several heights and shapes too, and that feature usually identifies Windsor chairs: "low back," "comb back," "bow back," for example. 1795–1800. Mass-produced chairs from the 19th century to modern times are often stamped with a manufacturer's mark. Taking inspiration from the earlier American styles, this chair has a more elegant and dainty design. 1: Low-back Windsor armchair, Philadelphia, PA, ca. MA: Old America, 1917. Fig. She writes travel and budgeting tips and destination guides for USA Today, Travelocity and ForRent, among others. It was made in the early 19th century in Massachusetts. Federal – Early 19th century. Study the chair's composition. Beware of furniture that’s made to look old. 3. 63.673. When trying to identify antique furniture, dedicated antique hunters search for beautifully preserved pieces, armed with pins, magnifying glasses, spirit levels and all sorts of testing equipment. If every journey begins with a single step, the road to antique furniture knowledge can start with a foot—specifically, the antique foot style belonging to a chair, chest or table.. Identifying antique furniture feet can help determine the approximate age of a piece, along with the period in which it was made, helping you research and value antique pieces more skillfully. She failed to have some intention of receiving it printed while writing. White pine (seat) with birch and other woods. Furniture - Chairs - 1800-1899 Category List of Antiques, With Information and Images (Page 3) Originally, they were made by attaching rockers to a standard Windsor chair. English Style Rocking Chairs. 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