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)

North West Oak Side Chair

North West Oak Side Chair with Lozenge Carved Back Circa 1690.

Dim: W-43 D-44 H-100 (cm)

Price: £495.00

Carved Mahogany Corner Chair

Carved Mahogany Corner Chair with Carving to all Legs and Back. Overstuff Seat with Brass Caps.

Dim: W-74 D-63 H-82 (cm)

Price: £395.00

Oak Office Chair

Oak Office Chair Circa 1920. Manufactured in the USA and Retailed by Angus of London. Revolving with Height and Tilt Adjustable. Red Leather Upholstery.

Dim: W-59 D-57 H-92.5 (cm)

Price: £380.00

19th Century Scroll Arm Easy Chair

19th Century Scroll Arm Easy Chair on Cabriole Legs to the Front and Newly Upholstered in Cream Damask. Circa 1890.

Dim: W-70 D-83 H-100 (cm)

Price: £625.00

19th Century Dutch Marquetry Elbow Chair

19th Century Dutch Marquetry Elbow Chair with Decoration to Back, Arms and Legs. Hoof Feet. Seat Covered in Old Needlepoint Fabric.

Dim: W-67 D-57 H-114 (cm)

Price: £675.00

Edwardian Rosewood Armchair

Edwardian Rosewood Armchair. Upholstered in Comtemporary Damask Fabric.

Dim: W-69 D-57 H-90 (cm)

Price: £575.00

Victorian Rosewood Framed Nursing Chair

Victorian Rosewood Framed Nursing Chair Raised on Cabriole Front Legs, Upholstered in Contemporary Yellow Fabric.

Dim: W-51 D-55 H-106 (cm)

Price: £625.00

Early Victorian Childs Rocking Chair

Early Victorian Childs Rocking Chair.

Dim: W-38 D-64 H-79.5 (cm)

Price: £145.00

Victorian Ash and Elm Childs Chair

Victorian Ash and Elm Childs Chair Circa 1860.

Dim: W-41 D-35 H-71.5 (cm)

Price: £238.00

Grandfather Kitchen Chair

Grandfather Kitchen Chair with Double Stretcher. This item is currently off site. Please contact the centres before visiting.

Dim: W-60 D-44 H-109 (cm)

Price: £450.00

Late Victorian Arts and Crafts Open Armchair

Late Victorian Arts and Crafts Open Armchair in Oak Circa 1900.

Dim: W-57 D-63 H-110 (cm)

Price: £95.00

Pair of Walnut Victorian Side Chairs

Pair of Walnut Victorian Side Chairs. Deeply Carved and Upholstered in Top Quality Material.

Dim: W-50 D-50 H-96 (cm)

Price: £435.00

Pair of French Gilt Chairs

Pair of French Gilt Chairs in Original Fabric. Please not that these chairs are currently off site. Please contact the centres before visiting.

Dim: W-70 D-74 H-102.5 (cm)

Price: £770.00

Arts and Crafts Stick Back Windsor Chair

Arts and Crafts Stick Back Windsor Chair in Beech and Ash. Circa 1890.

Dim: W-57 D-60 H-99 (cm)

Price: £295.00 This item has been sold

19th Century Walnut Salon Chair

19th Century Walnut Salon Chair.

Dim: W-56.5 D-73 H-84 (cm)

Price: £690.00

Small Childs Wicker Chair

Small Childs Wicker Chair. Circa 1950.

Dim: W-40 D-40 H-50 (cm)

Price: £54.00

19th Century Windsor Childs Chair

19th Century Windsor Childs Chair in Yew, Ash and Elm.

Dim: W-47 D-32 H-64.5 (cm)

Price: £475.00

Ash and Elm High Back Windsor Chair

Ash and Elm High Back Windsor Chair with Crinoline Stretchers Circa 1840.

Dim: W-47 D-43 H-104 (cm)

Price: £350.00 This item has been sold

Victorian Mahogany Open Sided Fine Ladies Chair

Victorian Mahogany Open Sided Fine Ladies Chair with Button Back Upholstery in Pink, standing on Turned and Fluted Front Legs and Original Brass Casters.

Dim: W-64 D-63 H-89 (cm)

Price: £265.00

Pair of Regency Suffolk Carvers

Pair of Regency Suffolk Carvers.

Dim: W-54 D-50 H-87.5 (cm)

Price: £350.00

Late Victorian Beech Childs Correction Chair

Late Victorian Beech Childs Correction Chair with Rattan Caned Seat.

Dim: W-36 D-34 H-98 (cm)

Price: £465.00

Pair of 1900s French Painted Bergere Chairs

Pair of 1900s French Painted Bergere Chairs upholstered in Contemporary Lilac Toile de Jouy Fabric.

Dim: W-73 D-50 H-89 (cm)

Price: £825.00 This item has been sold

Set of Four 1930s French Walnut Chairs

Set of Four 1930s French Walnut Chairs. Ref.119.N.

Dim: W-46 D-43 H-89 (cm)

Price: £650.00 This item has been sold

Victorian Mahogany Childs Chair

Victorian Mahogany Childs Chair with Cane Seats. Balloon Back.

Dim: W-38.5 D-43 H-76.5 (cm)

Price: £78.00

Victorian Corner Bedroom Chair

Victorian Corner Bedroom Chair. Newly Upholastered and Waxed.

Dim: W-55 D-50 H-68 (cm)

Price: £155.00

Childs Walnut Salon Chair

Childs Walnut Salon Chair 19th Century.

Dim: W-43 D-40 H-78 (cm)

Price: £290.00

Antique Harpists Chair

Antique Harpists Chair THIS ITEM IS CRRENTLY OFF SITE

Dim: W-40 D-39 H-97 (cm)

Price: £275.00

French Salon Suite

French Salon Suite with Original Ypholstery. Four Single Chairs, Pair of Armchairs and Sofa Circa 1890. Four Chairs Currently Offsite. Age wear to Fabric. Dimensions of Sofa

Dim: W-183 D-72 H-108 (cm)

Price: £2750.00

Victorian Chair

Victorian Chair Circa 1880. Newly Upholstered.

Dim: D-72 H-107.5 (cm)

Price: £465.00

Victorian Rosewood Armchair

Victorian Rosewood Armchair with Button Back Support and Rococo style Legs.

Dim: W-65 D-95 H-88 (cm)

Price: £795.00

Early Victorian Leather Studded Side Chair

Early Victorian Leather Studded Side Chair suitable for a Desk. Circa 1850.

Dim: W-52 D-60 H-91 (cm)

Price: £275.00

Pair of Oak Hall Chairs

Pair of Oak Hall Chairs Early 20th Century. Please note that this is off site.

Dim: W-64 D-59 H-86 (cm)

Price: £500.00

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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