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)

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

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 This item has been sold

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

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

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: £220.00

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

Victorian Mahogany Elbow Chair

Victorian Mahogany Elbow Chair with Burgandy Upholstered Drop in Seat.

Dim: W-61 D-54 H-100 (cm)

Price: £335.00

Pair of Mid Victorian Salon Chairs

Pair of Mid Victorian Salon Chairs. His and Hers. Red Upholstery over Turned and Moulded Ebonised Frame.

Dim: W-71 D-66 H-93 (cm)

Price: £385.00

Art Nouveau Nursing Chair

Art Nouveau Nursing Chair - 1880-1910. New Upholstery.

Dim: W-44.5 D-45 H-92.5 (cm)

Price: £85.00

Tapestry Covered Open Armchair

Tapestry Covered Open Armchair. Circa 1950s.

Dim: W-60 D-54 H-86 (cm)

Price: £225.00

Victorian Rocking Chair

Victorian Rocking Chair with Turned Spindle Back.

Dim: W-59.5 D-69 H-104.5 (cm)

Price: £295.00

Pair Edwardian Mahogany Corner Chairs

Dim: W-69 D-64 H-66.5 (cm)

Price: £395.00

Early 20th Century Solid Mahogany Gossip Chair

Early 20th Century Solid Mahogany Gossip Chair with Hand Stitched Tapestry Seat depicting a Tree of Life design. Possibly Scottish.

Dim: W-43 D-60 H-82 (cm)

Price: £145.00

Mid 19th Century French Rosewood Salon Low Chair

Mid 19th Century French Rosewood Salon Low Chair with Original Needlework Upholstery. Ref.324A.

Dim: W-50 D-47 H-101 (cm)

Price: £295.00

Edwardian Pair of Hepplewhite style Armchairs

Edwardian Pair of Hepplewhite style Armchairs in Mahogany by Marsh Crib Jones.

Dim: W-53.5 D-51 H-99 (cm)

Price: £695.00

Elegant 19th Century Bergere Chair

Dim: W-54.5 D-61 H-82 (cm)

Price: £125.00

George I Red Walnut Corner Chair

George I Red Walnut Corner Chair with Cabriole Legs. Good Colour and Patination. Circa 1730.

Dim: W-83.5 D-68 H-81 (cm)

Price: £845.00

Hille Swivel Chair Designed by Robin Day

Hille Swivel Chair Designed by Robin Day. Original. Circa 1965.

Dim: W-77 D-80 H-90 (cm)

Price: £550.00

1920s Oak Wainscote Chair

1920s Oak Wainscote Chair. Please note that this is off site.

Dim: W-73 D-66 H-145 (cm)

Price: £550.00

Edwardian Inlaid Mahogany High Slat Back Armchair

Edwardian Inlaid Mahogany High Slat Back Armchair with Upholstered Seat.

Dim: W-55 D-53.5 H-94 (cm)

Price: £258.00

19th Century Windsor Armchair

19th Century Windsor Armchair in Beech and Elm with Rope Twist Centre Rail, Shaped Arms on Turned Supports.

Dim: W-57 D-54 H-86 (cm)

Price: £335.00

1940s Lloyd Loom Lusty Armchair

Dim: W-63 D-88 H-79 (cm)

Price: £50.00

Wainscote Chair

Wainscote Chair with Solid Board Back.

Dim: W-59 D-52 H-100 (cm)

Price: £475.00

Victorian Salon Suite of Sofa and Chairs

Victorian Salon Suite comprising Sofa and Chairs. Seven Piece has been Re-upholstered. Carvings in Mint Condition.

Dim: W-145 D-75 H-107 (cm)

Price: £3250.00

Pair of Victorian Mahogany Open Armchairs

Pair of Victorian Mahogany Upholstered Open Armchairs with Foliate Cresting Rail above Cartouche shaped Back and Serpentine Seat on Cabriole Legs and Original Porcelain Castors.

Dim: W-60 D-61 H-88.5 (cm)

Price: £1295.00

Good Set of Ten Mahogany Dining Chairs

Good Set of Ten Mahogany Dining Chairs in the Chippendale style, including Two Carvers. Circa 1930.

Dim: W-58 D-53 H-99 (cm)

Price: £2450.00

Arts & Crafts Solid Walnut Armchair

Arts & Crafts Solid Walnut Armchair with high back and spindle Armrests, upholstered in beige fabric (modern) A very fine piece, of intriguing design. It does have features of English Arts & Crafts, ...

Dim: W-54 D-54 H-106 (cm)

Price: £660.00

Edwardian Inlaid Spindle Back Armchair

Edwardian Inlaid Spindle Back Armchair with Sanderson Fabric.

Dim: W-36 D-59 H-106 (cm)

Price: £275.00

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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