Heywood Bros. & Wakefield Wicker Chair

Hello,

I'm working on gathering some information for my mother about a chair that has been in the family for 100+ years. In the picture you'll see some needlepoint replaced the original wicker, but other than that, I've been able to figure out this is Heywood Brothers and Wakefield, piece #297-3. I'm new to all this, but know it is from 1897-1921. I'm getting a couple books, but curious if anyone knows when Heywood/Wakefield went from all wicker to using wood, as this chair only had a wicker seat. Through family history, we also have figured out it would have been ordered through a catalog and shipped from Chicago or MA out to Utah. Any information on Heywood Bros. logistics would be interesting too. It sounds like this is a popular manufacturer, but very much information about this style seems to be hard to come by.

Thanks!

 

Welcome DVH, the "Furniture People" should be along soon!

 

In the meantime, Sister Parish is smiling sweetly from above!

 

Hi DVH.....there is a lot of info in this link.
I live about a mile from where the factory was located in Wakefield......not there any longer.
http://www.wakefieldma.org/rattan.html


Heywood Wakefield moved to Gardner, Ma and produced quality furniture.

I think your chair had what is called a caned seat.

I have a couple of children's wicker rockers made by them. Late victorian.

 

Welcome to the forums!

I agree it probably had a cane seat and not a wicker seat. Nothing about this pressback floral motif solid wood side chair c1900-1920 suggests wicker. Does it have a Heywood Bros. Wakefield 1897-1921 label still on it?
http://discoverypub.com/columns/csa/csa2010_09.html
http://www.heywoodwakefield.com/clues-identifying-vintage-heywood-wakefield-furniture/

Believe the stiles finials would be called "Honey dipper" like on their pressed back chair pictured on the following page of pressed back decorations.
About the 4th pic down:
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/new...-specific-press-back-decoration-sans-carving/

--- Susan

 

Welcome to Antiquers, DVH. There are some informative links posted already. Great!

 

No one has really answered your question on when H-W stopped doing wicker furniture probably because this chair is not wicker connected, at ieast not what one thinks is wicker furniture. The seat was no doubt what is called a cane seat which is probably a form of wicker but nerver called wicker. H-W was still making wicker furnture when they were making solid wood furniture. According to the following website, Haywood-Wakefield stopped making wicker furniture in the 1930s but continued making hardwood furnirure into the 1950s.

"Wicker furnishings changed with the invention of the Lloyd loom in 1917, which allowed wicker to be woven faster. Heywood-Wakefield purchased the patented loom in 1920. As the economy slowed and manufacturers turned out inferior quality wicker at lower prices, it began to lose its appeal. Heywood-Wakefield stopped making wicker in the 1930s, although the firm produced hardwood furniture into the '50s."

About the 6th paragraph down:
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...er-furniture-cyrus-wakefield-wakefield-rattan

--- Susan