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)

Good Set of Four Victorian Rosewood Chairs

Good Set of Four Victorian Rosewood Chairs. Circa 1860.

Dim: W-45.5 D-46 H-89 (cm)

Price: £695.00

Queen Anne style Upholstered Armchair

Queen Anne style Upholstered Armchair. Circa 1930.

Dim: W-84 D-85 H-110 (cm)

Price: £365.00

Edwardian Upholstered Tub Chair

Edwardian Upholstered Tub Chair in Mahogany with Satinwood Stringing. Upholstered in Pink Fabric.

Dim: W-66 D-70 H-75 (cm)

Price: £485.00

Childs American Rocking Chair

Childs American Rocking Chair re-upholstered using Quality Fabric. Very Good Condition. Circa 1900.

Dim: W-41 D-46.5 H-73 (cm)

Price: £190.00

Set of Four 19th Century Spindleback Chairs

Set of Four 19th Century Spindleback Chairs with Shaped Backs standing on Turned Legs.

Dim: W-49 D-57.5 H-83.5 (cm)

Price: £265.00

Victorian Walnut Folding Chair

Victorian Walnut Folding Chair.

Dim: W-37 D-58 H-85.5 (cm)

Price: £125.00

Pair of Mahogany Bedroom Chairs

Pair of Mahogany Bedroom Chairs upholstered in Green Fabric. Circa 1900.

Dim: W-40 D-42 H-85.5 (cm)

Price: £68.00

Edwardian Walnut Nursing Chair

Edwardian Walnut Nursing Chair.

Dim: W-54 D-51 H-63 (cm)

Price: £145.00

Edwardian Armchair

Edwardian Armchair on Tapered Legs with Deep Buttoned Back

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

Price: £275.00

Barleytwist Framed Chair

Barleytwist Framed Chair. Newly Upholstered 1930's.

Dim: W-59 D-62 H-88 (cm)

Price: £225.00 This item has been sold

Mahogany Low Chair

Mahogany Low Chair with Needlework Seat

Dim: W-39 D-46 H-93 (cm)

Price: £160.00

Mahogany Framed Armchair

Mahogany Framed Armchair. Circa early 20th Century.

Dim: W-59 D-60 H-92 (cm)

Price: £275.00

Victorian Oak Framed Armchair

Victorian Oak Framed Armchair in Cream Floral Fabric.

Dim: W-71.5 D-73 H-112 (cm)

Price: £375.00

Good Quality Victorian Single Walnut Chair

Good Quality Victorian Single Walnut Chair with Original Cover. Circa 1850.

Dim: W-39 D-45 H-87 (cm)

Price: £195.00

Upholstered Wing Armchair

Upholstered Wing Armchair with Carved Decoration in the French Rococo Style. Circa 1900.

Dim: W-67 D-70 H-117 (cm)

Price: £625.00

Victorian Mahogany Tub Chair

Victorian Mahogany Tub Chair refurbished to a high standard. Circa 1900.

Dim: W-65 D-71 H-79 (cm)

Price: £420.00

Victorian Open Armed Spoon Back Chair

Victorian Open Armed Spoon Back Chair recovered in Laura Ashley Fabric (Chrysanthemons Duck Egg Blue).

Dim: W-70 D-82 H-93 (cm)

Price: £495.00

Victorian Walnut Armchair

Victorian Walnut Armchair with Scroll Arms. Recently re-upholstered. Original Castors.

Dim: W-73 D-84 H-106 (cm)

Price: £690.00 This item has been sold

Pair of Pollard Oak Side Chairs

Pair of Pollard Oak Side Chairs with Cream Upholstery and Original Castors. Circa 1900.

Dim: W-53 D-56 H-93 (cm)

Price: £115.00 This item has been sold

Victorian Mahogany Framed Armchair

Victorian Mahogany Framed Armchair.

Dim: W-64 D-76 H-101 (cm)

Price: £395.00

Pair of George IV Mahogany Carver Armchairs

Pair of George IV Mahogany Carver Armchairs. Circa 1820.

Dim: W-53 D-55 H-90 (cm)

Price: £850.00 This item has been sold

Howard Style Gentlemans Armchair

Howard Style Gentlemans Armchair with Brass Castors. Circa 1910.

Dim: W-88 D-99 H-99 (cm)

Price: £650.00

Victorian Walnut Nursing Chair

Victorian Walnut Nursing Chair with Turned Legs in Floral Gold Fabric

Dim: W-47.5 D-60 H-83 (cm)

Price: £320.00

Pair Victorian Walnut Nursing Chairs

Dim: W-49 D-50 H-76.5 (cm)

Price: £225.00

Set of Six Victorian Walnut Dining Chairs

Dim: W-46.5 D-56 H-88.5 (cm)

Price: £628.00

Victorian Walnut Framed Spoon Backed Armchair

Victorian Walnut Framed Spoon Backed Armchair Circa 1880

Dim: W-60 D-77 H-92 (cm)

Price: £235.00

Edwardian Walnut Framed Wing Back Chair

Dim: W-92 D-83 H-105 (cm)

Price: £375.00 This item has been sold

Victorian Burr Walnut Ladies Chair

Victorian Burr Walnut Ladies Chair with Original Needlepoint Upholstery on Carved Cabriole Legs and Original Brass Castors Circa 1860

Dim: W-51 D-56 H-100.5 (cm)

Price: £385.00 This item has been sold

19th Century Mahogany Open Armchair

Dim: W-64 D-60 H-92 (cm)

Price: £475.00

Childs Late Victorian Spindle Back Chair

Childs Late Victorian Spindle Back Chair. Hand Stripped and Polished

Dim: W-36 D-34 H-58 (cm)

Price: £58.00

Spindle Back Country Style Chair

Spindle Back Country Style Chair Upholstered in Contemporay Fabric

Dim: W-53 D-52.5 H-99.5 (cm)

Price: £245.00

Pair of Inlaid Mahogany Armchairs

Dim: W-49 D-48 H-89 (cm)

Price: £180.00

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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