The range of old ‘Country’, or vernacular, chairs is very wide. But they mostly fall into one of two main structural groups:
Jointed Frame Chairs – where the back legs and the two main back uprights are continuous pieces and the seat is a four sided jointed frame.
Windsor Chairs – where all the main parts: legs, back bows, sticks etc fit into a solid seat: effectively the chassis.
Frame chairs developed from the stool by the addition of a back, early examples being known as back stools.
(Laurie 'The Chairman' Kent - Antiques Dealer at Hemswell)

Pair of Walnut Framed Armchairs

Pair of Walnut Framed Armchairs in the George I Style. Covered in Quality Damask. Circa 1920.

Dim: W-62 D-61 H-95 (cm)

Price: £750.00

Pair of Walnut Framed Chairs

Pair of Walnut Framed Chairs in the George I Style. Newly covered in quality fabric. Circa 1920.

Dim: W-51 D-57 H-91 (cm)

Price: £550.00

Victorian Lathback Kitchen Rocking Chair

Victorian Lathback Kitchen Rocking Chair with Saddle Seat and Turned Roundel to Splat. Circa 1870-90.

Dim: W-64 D-78 H-101.5 (cm)

Price: £195.00 This item has been sold

Victorian Carved Walnut Framed Spoonback Armchair

Victorian Carved Walnut Framed Spoonback Armchair upholstered in Moss Green Coloured Velvet.

Dim: W-56 D-73 H-94 (cm)

Price: £435.00

Vintage Childs Chair

Vintage Childs Chair with Good Patina.

Dim: W-39 D-39 H-62 (cm)

Price: £38.00

Victorian Slipper Chair

Victorian Slipper Chair with Gilt Metal Mounts. Newly Upholstered in Cream Fabric. Circa 1840.

Dim: W-40 D-58 H-60 (cm)

Price: £195.00

Arts and Crafts Corner Chair

Arts and Crafts Corner Chair Re-Upholstered in Liberty and Co. Fabric Circa 1900.

Dim: W-63 D-45 H-79 (cm)

Price: £395.00

Arts and Crafts Oak Open Arm Elbow Chair

Arts and Crafts Oak Open Arm Elbow Chair with Ladder Back Circa 1880.

Dim: W-61 D-61 H-129 (cm)

Price: £699.00

Victorian Inlaid Armchair

Victorian Inlaid Armchair with Beautiful Needlework Floral Seat. Excellent Condition.

Dim: W-53 D-50 H-85 (cm)

Price: £185.00

Wainscot Armchair

Wainscot Armchair with Parquetry Inlay. 18th Century.

Dim: W-64 D-65 H-122.5 (cm)

Price: £795.00

Edwardian Tub Chair

Edwardian Tub Chair ion Turned Front Legs with Castors.

Dim: W-69 D-69 H-76 (cm)

Price: £168.00

Pair of 19th Century Elm Ladderback Open Armchairs

Pair of 19th Century Elm Ladderback Open Armchairs with Rush Seats with Double Side Stretchers and Front Pad Feet.

Dim: W-63.5 D-50 H-109 (cm)

Price: £170.00 This item has been sold

Wing Chair

Wing Chair Re-Upholstered Circa 1920. Stained as Mahogany. Nice Shape.

Dim: W-88 D-83 H-107 (cm)

Price: £795.00

19th Century Yew Wood Windsor Chair

19th Century Yew Wood Windsor Chair by Allsop of Worksop with Low Back and Crinoline Stretcher. Circa 1840.

Price: £975.00

Gentlemans Victorian Walnut Framed Armchair

Gentlemans Victorian Walnut Framed Armchair Upholstered in Pink Fabric Circa 1880.

Dim: W-72 D-80 H-92 (cm)

Price: £595.00

Edwardian Mahogany Leather Elbow Chair

Edwardian Mahogany Leather Upholstered Elbow Chair. Gainsborough Chair.

Dim: W-68 D-70 H-106 (cm)

Price: £295.00 This item has been sold

Red Leather Winged Armchair

Red Leather Winged Armchair. Circa 1930. Please note that there is another matching chair if required. Off site.

Dim: W-69 D-50 H-50 (cm)

Price: £395.00

Rare Victorian Carved Walnut Reclining Armchair

Rare Victorian Carved Walnut Reclining Armchair on Turned and Reeded Front Legs. Reclining Mechanism is operated by rotating carved knobs at the front of the arms. Circa 1850.

Dim: W-68 D-86 H-90.5 (cm)

Price: £470.00 This item has been sold

Pair of Victorian Carved Oak Corner Chairs

Pair of Victorian Carved Oak Corner Chairs. Circa 1880.

Dim: W-73 D-60 H-80 (cm)

Price: £395.00

Carved Walnut Upholstered Armchair

Carved Walnut Upholstered Armchair in the George I style. Shell Carved Cabriole Legs. Circa early 20th Century.

Dim: W-62.5 D-62 H-93.5 (cm)

Price: £550.00

Oak Elbow Chair

Oak Elbow Chair Circa 1900 with Some Age Wear to Arms.

Dim: W-61 D-68 H-98.5 (cm)

Price: £820.00

Victorian Gentlemans Armchair

Victorian Gentlemans Armchair with Button back re-upholstered in Red Fabric.

Dim: W-75 D-82 H-108 (cm)

Price: £495.00

Oak Desk Chair

Oak Desk Chair Having Scroll Arms and Original Castors to the Front. The Seat Covered in Green Faux Leather.

Dim: W-56 D-59 H-91 (cm)

Price: £230.00

Fully Refurbished Victorian Button Backed Armchair

Fully Refurbished Victorian Button Backed Armchair in Tapstry Design Fabric.

Dim: W-83 D-90 H-105 (cm)

Price: £595.00

19th Century Library Chair

Dim: W-71 D-61 H-75 (cm)

Price: £295.00 This item has been sold

Pair English Corner Chairs

Pair English Corner Chairs Highly Carved Circa 1875.

Dim: W-69 D-67 H-77 (cm)

Price: £598.00

Georgian High Back Wing Armchair

Georgian High Back Wing Armchair of Small Proportions with New Upholstery Circa 1820. OFF SITE

Dim: W-68 D-77 H-113 (cm)

Price: £795.00

Pair Edwardian Line Inlaid Armchairs

Pair Edwardian Line Inlaid Armchairs with Padded Upholstered Seat and Backrest on Turned Front Legs.

Dim: W-59 D-56 H-95 (cm)

Price: £335.00

Edwardian Upholstered Armchair

Edwardian Upholstered Armchair with Stylish Rope Decoration to Arms.

Dim: W-64 D-71 H-89 (cm)

Price: £285.00 This item has been sold

Period Wing Backed Armchair

Period Wing Backed Armchair. Recovered to a very High Standard in Linwood Fabric.

Dim: W-87 D-80 H-106 (cm)

Price: £970.00

19th Century Gainborough Armchair

19th Century Gainborough Armchair upholstered in Green Hide. Circa 1880.

Dim: W-64 D-74 H-100 (cm)

Price: £745.00

Pair of Yew Wood Pad Arm Windsor Chairs

Pair of Yew Wood Pad Arm Windsor Chairs. N. Notts. Probably Worksop.

Price: £2500.00

There are many regional variations. But most vernacular frame chairs have oak, ash or beech frames with rush, caned or solid wood seats. There are several styles of seat back most having top and bottom crossrails. ‘Spindlebacks’ have one or more rows of vertical spindles between the rails. Vase and other shaped splats are also used. In ‘Ladderbacks’ all the 3,4 or more ‘rungs’ are effectively cross rails. Because they were simple country chairs, upholstered seats and imported woods such as mahogany were rarely used.
Windsors first appeared in the 18th C and many variants developed both within in England and across the Atlantic in New England over the next 200 years.
Again there is a wide range of styles and quality, from the humble scroll back kitchen chair, through the classic high and low bowbacks, to the very elegant, comb backed, cabriole legged armchairs in yew wood. Elm with its beautifully figured grain was the favoured wood for seats, with ash, yew or beech for legs stretchers and back bows.
Windsors were made in three main regions in England, namely: the Thames Valley including High Wycombe, the West Country and the Eastern counties of Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire.
There are always good examples of an extensive range of country chairs to be found at Hemswell Antiques, particularly from the dealers who specialise in country furniture. (Laurie 'The Chairman' Kent - Antiques Dealer at Hemswell)

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