According to Gersh, “You can tell a piece is well-made by touching it. How do I send pictures of these chairs to you. I flipped the chair over and see no screws of any kind on the chair. (Pictures Included), Update on dating Antique American Furniture (Pre industrial age) and other colonial items, Folding Chair Made From Wild Wood Species (Part Two). If yes, we can say 1880 to 1950. Folding Chair Made Of Wood From "The Jumping Bean Tree" (Part One). The arms are another way to tell real from fake. The first giveaway is the joinery; machine-cut furniture wasn't made until about 1860. Classic well made chairs of high caliber were typically made without any visible hardware underneath or in the rear where the arms and legs join. Furniture that is made from oak was usually manufactured before the 1700s. One of the greatest telltale signs of a chair's age include the markings or tags left by the manufacturer. The slats, usually two to six in number, are connected to the straight back posts with a mortise and tenon joint. Sometime during the 18th century, chair makers decided that fluffy armchairs would be more comfortable than the bench-style seats that had been in fashion up to that time. To avoid the unnatural curvature of the spine or the tensing of the neck and the shoulders, the table should be so high that the elbows and underarms lie straight on the table with loosely hanging upper arms. If the piece has drawers, remove a drawer and look closely where the front and back of the drawer are fastened to the sides of the drawer. So that’s a key element in her benches, these cabinets and other pieces specific to her design, and pieces [by other designers] like the Barcelona chair. You might not be able to tell what period the chair is from, but you can get a sense of what kind of chair it is and when it was made by identifying what chair type category it fits into. How do you tell the age of a chair? Kathy Adams is an award-winning journalist and freelance writer who traveled the world handling numerous duties for music artists. Furniture. A good number of those listed and defined below are ancestors of chair styles still being made today. Look at the bottom or back of a piece or inside its doors and drawers. Maple and cherry furniture are usually American. Style. The maker's mark on rocking chairs is most often found on the underside of the chair's seat. The chairs were transported from High Wycombe to Windsor as the town became the centre of trade between the manufacturers and London dealers. I can send the pix as an … read more Listed below are some popular types of antique chairs that originated in Europe and the United States during the past 300 years. It’s hard to spot the fake aging process in wood unless you X-ray it. A new piece will look flat and smooth on top. A ladderback chair, also known as a slat-back chair, is named for the horizontal slats across the back of the chair, resembling the rungs of a ladder. I might be wrong but if you flp your chair over you will see one or maybe two slotted screws at each corner. The normal joint in this type of chair is the rectangular mortise and tenon and in the later incarnations of the industrial age, the dowel joint. You can verify the size of your chair by measuring the distance between the middle of the metal arm support bars under the armrests on your Stressless Chair. A major telling feature of antique chairs starts from the floor and goes up; leg shapes help define the style and period to which the chair belongs. If you are unsure whether the chair is a reproduction or original, look for signs of age or newness. December 2019. If none then it is older and has more collectability. A lesser-known way of determining a chair’s age is by close inspection of the foot glides on the ottoman. You could see things like the company name or the year it was made. “Not being marked doesn’t mean something’s a fake,” Wright cautions—labeling was a little loosey-goosey in the early years—but it’s a good start. - Expect to find signs of age on an older piece, such as boards separating on the seam separation. How to Tell the Type of a Danish Modern Lounge Chair by Vintage, How to Tell the Age of a Thonet Bentwood Wicker Rocker, Difference Between Colonial and Vintage Decorating, Mental Floss: Screw This, Screw That: Why We Have Different Types of Screws. I associate high-polish chrome finish with Knoll furniture. Look to see how comfortably the chair sits upon its rockers. But he has made an old-looking Windsor chair of 100 percent new wood. you read and agreed to the, Identifying the age of Thonet chairs and other Thonet furniture, Two clues for determining the rough age of an upholstered chair, Can you help me identify the age of this buffet? By Timothy Dahl. Bergère; Chaise Longue; Corner Chair; Curule; Fauteuil; Klismos; Morris; Ribbon-Back The posts of the chair are perpendicular to each other and were usually turned, or rounded, on a lathe. Examine Bottoms, Insides, and Backs Take a look at the joinery (the spots in furniture where the pieces come together). With a bit of research and a close inspection of wood and hardware, you can roughly determine the age of antique furniture. 1." Before that, the chair was essentially a stool with a back, and only the head of the house or the upper echelon of society sat in them. At auction, in central Virginia, I would see this chair sell from 50 to 75$. Antique Furniture. Until then, following these steps will help you determine an approximate age of nearly any piece of antique furniture: STEP ONE: Examine the inside, back, and bottom surfaces of the furniture: These less obvious areas of the antique will provide clues as to whether the wooden components were cut using traditional methods like handsaws and planes, or whether the pieces were … The top rail on early 19th century chairs will be joined with non-round tenons that can be viewed by slightly pulling the yoke from the stile. Other chairs hold a quiet mystery that needs to be coaxed into a story, one whisper at a time. Pictures included. He’s developed techniques for aging paints with blow dryers and things that. red_baroness: an authentic original thonet (tone-ette) bentwood rocker would NOT have a "made in poland" on it anywhere. Sometimes style is enough to tell how old a chair is, especially if that style was only popular for a short time. Many fake chairs will have smaller ottomans. Visible surface planks (primary wood) on genuine antique furniture will be wide, varying in thickness, and relatively free of blemishes. I Have A Vintage Fogle Channelback Victorian Arm Chair. Also, the ottoman cushion is the same size as the seat cushion. What each chair type has to say. Need some help identifying the age and material of this chair. There are several ways you can spot an antique. There are many different types of antique chairs, and each has a unique appearance. Home Decor. "Bandy-legged" refers to the cabriole leg or curved leg found on Colonial furniture. Study the construction. Knifeguy, 9 years ago I should have been more concise in my statement. Is to not just looking at its design, but to also by look at the materials it is made from, and the techniques used in its construction. One of the first steps you should take when identifying a genuine Eames molded side chair is to look for a label on the underside. Chase, I have another barber chair for which I need age and value information. Chairs that have nails with uneven heads are older than chairs that might use machine-made nails from the 19th or 20th centuries. Info please. This approach can be used to determine the age of many types of furniture. The earliest rocking chairs were ordinary slat-back kitchen chairs--that is, chairs whose backs consist of a top-rail and a single thick lower rail--attached to rockers almost as an … 1" or "Rocking Chair No. Circular dowels are evidence of "non-period" chairs. Classic well made chairs of high caliber were typically made without any visible hardware underneath or in the rear where the arms and legs join. I might be wrong but if you flp your chair over you will see one or maybe two slotted screws at each corner. The true chair will have real leather cushions—never vinyl—with either foam or down-fill. Prior to 1830, screws were made by hand, resulting in uneven threads and off-center slots … Antique furniture styles are still in use today and many reproductions exist. For example, if the joints don't match up and the piece looks shoddily assembled, it's most likely a reproduction. No because you have given me nothing but a pho and did not comment on what I had said. as to whether or not you can tell the age of your chair; an original older model, the "Schaukel-Fauteuil No. After finding a few, you'll likely be able to narrow down the general era the chair was made. Although it can be hard to date examples of such a timeless design with any precision, certain features are strong indications of age. You could also find the mark on the back of the chair back or on a spindle. In the 1800s, this stamp was often placed under the seat or inside a back leg. How Do I determine the size of my Stressless Chair? It’s unlikely that real antique furniture is made with … From the the Spruce article: With success came imitators, and over time, a “Hitchcock chair” began to mean any painted and colorfully-stenciled chair that roughly resembled the originals – that is, medium-back in height and largely square in shape. For example, an olive green recliner with yellow or orange flowers is most likely from the late 1960s to 1970s, as that type of print and color combination hasn't come back into fashion -- yet. Also, fair a... Hi again, I included a photo of the Hitchcock chairs I was inquiring about.... 1920s (?) She writes travel and budgeting tips and destination guides for USA Today, Travelocity and ForRent, among others. Okn this makes it an earlier chair - parlor chair (wheels on front) circa 1860 to turn of the century. In the 1900s, synthetic materials such as upholstery foam and fiberfill entered the scene. Mass-produced chairs from the 19th century to modern times are often stamped with a manufacturer's mark. Regards Robin; Knifeguy, 9 years ago With all due respect, i have been reading and learning for over 60 years. The market it is the tank, the color and style has to be desirable, etc. Explore. Determining the age of a chair is sometimes as simple as finding maker's marks underneath; other times, a good deal of research is required, especially since some popular chair styles have been reproduced for generations. One of the best ways to determine if your rocking chair is an antique, a reproduction or a replica. Chair was most likely part of a parlor set (sofa, loveseat etc.) Chippendale and Queen Anne chairs typically have an S-curved cabriole leg with a knee and in-curved ankle. How do you tell the age of a chair? Clues can indicate the date that a chair was built. Early armchairs often had loose seat cushions stuffed with feathers. The age and value, What is the age and value of this chair 'A.N. Screws can also provide clues about the age of dining room chairs. To determine the age of your antique furniture, note the materials that were used in its manufacturing. A Guide to Antique Chair Identification With Photos. Expert antique collectors generally check the type of wood and metal that was applied to a piece in determining the era where it came from. Picture included, By entering this site you declare Antique chair styles reflect the sensibilities of the periods in which they were manufactured. Careful research may yield helpful information. Multiple types of wood is a good thing. Likewise, mid-century molded fiberglass chairs -- popularized by Charles and Ray Eames paired with manufacturer Herman Miller -- still influence plastic chair design, yet are distinguishable by their thin metal legs and noticeable fiberglass fibers. A single chair from this period is low to moderately collectable. 1." After the 1830s, cushion designed advanced a bit and included springs, padding and webbing. The entire Georgian period (starting from 1750 to 1830) is in fact called the "Golden Age of Furniture" because it is during this era that majority of the innovation on furniture had been introduced to the public. Vanity - pictures and stamp info included. Finding a year on the mark is the easiest way to tell if the chair is old. From Tell City, Indiana, the Tell City Chair Company, 1865 to 2011. If yes, we can say 1880 to 1950. Every chair has its own story to tell. Look at images of chairs similar to yours online if you are unsure when your chair was manufactured. The earliest production chairs had push-on rubber “boot” glides on the feet of the ottoman. Some antique chairs have obvious stories, told in a loud voice. This is a guide about identifying antique chairs. Sometimes style is enough to tell how old a chair is, especially if that style was only … Article from mandmsq.hubpages.com. Most vintage Eames furniture pieces were marked on the bottom (an estimated 70 percent or so), so seeking a label is a … Any Ideas As To Age... How old is my chair, why does it have casters/rollers on front legs? Some special-ordered chairs were in fabric, but these are rare examples. The chair should be adjusted to your own body as much as possible. A very nice chair. Brittan'. These have remained remarkably consistent in style since their first appearance, but there are some clues you can use to determine the age of a particular bentwood rocker. This design stems from the ottoman base being used originally as a side chair base, which was only designed to accept boot glides. Jan 19, 2015 - Antique Chairs - How to Identify Excellent blog post. This in turn might help you trace it back to its period of origin. Professional appraisers are an option as well. If none then it is older and has more collectability. Step 5: See if the Castor is made of Rubber or Polyurethane. In England, 19th century Windsor chairs were usually unfinished and waxed, whereas in America, Windsor chairs were usually painted. About 70% of the pieces had paper decals, so the first thing to look for on the underside of a chair or table, or the inside a cabinet drawer, is a sticker (or the remnants of one). Where to Look for the Mark. . Produced in 1890 in Koritschan, Moravia would have shorter armrests … Identifying the material stuffed into seat cushions helps identify a chair's age, but it's possible a chair was revamped somewhere along the way, with the original seat padding exchanged for updated fillers. Chairs as we know them have been around since at least the 1700s. Identifying the age and value of antique chairs can be difficult especially if there are no markings identifying the manufacturer. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. This can provide important clues about whether a piece of old furniture was machine cut or crafted by hand. If the arms are connected with covered screws, I will lean toward 1920-1950. It is a Paidar with serial number:10171101259416. The classic version features a high ba… which states that your chair is probably a reproduction. Modern upholstered chairs may feature a tag listing both manufacturer and serial number or design name, which can be looked up on the manufacturer's website or on collector websites. Phillips screws shouldn't be anywhere on the chair if it is truly old as these have been around only since the 1930s. 1" or "Rocking Chair No. At first the chairs were of the straight comb back variety and then evolved in the 18th century to the bow back after the technique of steam bending the wood developed. Each of these types of chairs will tease you with a little morsel of evidence to help you identify it but sometimes it is merely a come-on and is often misleading. The chair has evolved greatly since that time, with numerous styles and materials from which to choose. Step 1 Familiarize yourself with the design of the first Thonet bentwood wicker rocker, the "Schaukel-Fauteuil No. Types of Antique Chairs. I clearly stated that a period Chippendale CHAIR would have no nails or screws. Others sat on stools and benches. Determining the age of antique furniture: Pine, Hi, I have this old chair has caster wheels on it. She enjoys exploring foreign locales and hiking off the beaten path stateside, snapping pics of wildlife and nature instead of selfies. An important key to knowing a chair's story is finding its age. This includes the adjustment of the seat, the armrests, and the backrest. My main goal was to address the chair in question. For example, a chair that is supposedly original, unrefinished and from the 1800s should not smell like fresh varnish or upholstery. It’s hard to tell it’s been done to the paint unless you put the chair through chemical analysis. 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Travelocity and ForRent, among others ottoman base being used originally as a side chair base, was! Tell real from fake 1800s, this stamp was often placed under seat... Yours online if you flp your chair is a reproduction or original, unrefinished and from the..