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)

Victorian Button Backed Armchair

Victorian Button Backed Armchair upholstered in Pink Dralon with Pink Fringe standing on Turned Legs.

Dim: W-69 D-71 H-98 (cm)

Price: £265.00

19th Century Pollard Oak Armchair

19th Century Pollard Oak Armchair by Gillows. Circa 1840.

Dim: W-73 D-85 H-96 (cm)

Price: £565.00

Victorian Beech Rocking Chair

Victorian Beech Rocking Chair. Circa 1870.

Price: £155.00 This item has been sold

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

Victorian Walnut Folding Chair

Victorian Walnut Folding Chair.

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

Price: £125.00 This item has been sold

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 This item has been sold

Edwardian Walnut Nursing Chair

Edwardian Walnut Nursing Chair. Off site.

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 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 This item has been sold

Victorian Oak Framed Armchair

Victorian Oak Framed Armchair in Cream Floral Fabric.

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

Price: £375.00 This item has been sold

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 This item has been sold

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

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 This item has been sold

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

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

Vintage French Suite

Vintage French Suite Consisting of Sofa, Two Chairs and Table. (Dimensions of Sofa)

Dim: W-125.5 D-55 H-90 (cm)

Price: £450.00 This item has been sold

Victorian Caned Beech Rocking Chair

Dim: W-41.5 D-64 H-89 (cm)

Price: £235.00

Pair Victorian Walnut Side Chairs

Pair Victorian Walnut Side Chairs with Pierced Scroll Balloon Backs, Cane Seats and Raised on Slender Turned Legs.

Dim: W-39 D-43 H-87 (cm)

Price: £225.00

Victorian Leather Armchair

Victorian Leather Armchair with Walnut Frame and Cabriole Legs. Circa 1850. Re-upholstered.

Dim: W-80.5 D-90 H-111.5 (cm)

Price: £1475.00

Victorian Walnut Framed Open Armchair

Victorian Walnut Framed Open Armchair.

Dim: W-64 D-88 H-92 (cm)

Price: £425.00

1920's Mahogany Crinoline Stretcher Wing Armchair

1920's Mahogany Crinoline Stretcher Wing Armchair with Original Cotton Velvet Upholstery

Dim: W-61 D-53 H-118 (cm)

Price: £475.00

Childs Elm Country Rocking Chair

Childs Elm Country Rocking Chair. English Mid 19th Century

Dim: W-47 D-65 H-78 (cm)

Price: £110.00

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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