Featured Identifying this chair

H All, my first post. I am going through my neighbour's home as I am the executor of his estate. He had some pretty old furniture and this caught my eye as being something different. Based in Sussex in the UK so I thought originally it was a contemporary take on a William Morris Sussex chair or a Liberty type chair. Other than that, I can't find out anything else online so I thought I would ask on here. Might anyone be able to guide me more please?

 

Can you post pictures of its underneath, feet base,back and some close ups, please? It's been stripped, which is a shame, but there's nothing to say it's not late 19th into early 20th. I suspect the seat may have been caned originally.

 

Yes, its been stripped. Should or would it ever have been ebonised at some point do you think?

 

Due to its rather rustic take on the ball and stick motif, I doubt that it would have been ebonized. In the U.S. ebonizing was something often done by elite urban makers such as Herter Brothers in New York. Don't know if it was more widespread in the U.K.

I'd say your chair is a bucolic interpretation of Queen Anne/Aesthetic Movement motifs ca. 1890. Finishing it would improve it markedly IMO.

 

Thanks Ghopper for your input.

One last question. What exactly do you mean by finishing it?

 

Ebonising was earlier here, so I don't think this was. I suspect just a nice polish job.

And I also go with my thought that it was caned, both seat and back insert. Someone has made a pig's ear of redoing the seat sometime in the 60s. The back inserts are sometimes nice marquetry, but I see no sign of that.

Also sticking with late 19th into early 20th - Edwardian. Stuff started to get a bit lighter in style then. Those thin spindles and the bamboo look to the thing are typical.

I'd clean it gently, get that fabric off, and use a nice quality darker wax on it. Recaning would cost a fortune. Get a piece of wood cut to fit the seat gap, use upholstery wadding, then fabric. Or, if you know someone clever, a tapestry seat would be highly appropriate.

It's a parlour or occasional chair. Not of high value, but well made.

 

I just watched a video on re-caning. Granted he makes it look easy but I might give it a go! After putting a darker wax on it. I am guessing I just remove the back piece and leave that space free.

 

Not sure how it was caned with no holes?

 

Probably a now missing inner frame of wood. If it wasn't caned, it had a drop in seat of some kind.

 

It would certainly benefit from some TLC.

Debora

 

I think it's worth doing, if it's a project. If you got a restorer, it would not be tenable.

 

Definitely a project but I am careful and patient so two hurdles jumped already! I just need guidance as I would not know where to start. I have sourced 2kg of natural pre-twisted rush cane. My friend has a cable staple gun. And I am not overawed by the process of recaning the chair. I just don't know what to use to clean it, do I sand it gently to smooth out inconsistencies, how to get rid of what looks like messy glue on the wood, what type of darker wax I should use and how dark should it be, etc.. but I will figure it as I go along. Will post progress and seek advice on here!

 

I'd clean it down with white spirit carefully, to get the crud off. Pick the messy glue off with your fingers. Fiddes, Liberon or Briwax is good stuff. Use sparingly!

 

Paint it again, results will be more satisfactory IMO