Featured Grandma's Colonial Chair?

Hello,

Could anybody help me to identify anything about this chair. It was my Grandma's chair and I have now inherited it. She used to describe it as a Colonial chair and and old friend of hers once said it was just fanciful.

However I would like to know more about it, could anybody help?

Many thanks in advance.

 

I have never seen anything like this---I think it is very cool looking !!!

 

Awesome chair ! Not colonial ,more like biedermeir (?) . I first thought maybe something shriner related ? What are those symbols on the crest ? Can you get a better pic of them ?

 

Definitely cool, but not in any authentically "American colonial" style I've ever seen either. Not even a reproduction of one. It certainly does have a "ceremonial" look to it - except the fabric which looks rather new.

 

Chair looks turn of the century.

Hard to see what the inlay is at the top is. Looks like 2 hearts and 3 spades. So maybe a poker room chair for a high end card room, men's club or ?

The material is definitely newer.

 

I see the same on enlargement, cluttered. Sort of an "arts and crafts" look to the decoration on the top rail - some inlaid? some painted?

 

That is so DIFFERENT-looking from any household chair I've ever seen that I wonder if it may have been a ceremonial chair... local lodge officer, such as that...

 

Yes, you are right my gran had it re covered about 5 years ago. I will add a better pic of the inset, sadly some is missing.

 

Dutch or Pennsylvania Dutch????

 

I don't know about those brass knobs, but that inlay is straight up Arts and Crafts. Charles Rennie Macintosh would have loved it. The upholstry doesn't really "go" but it's in good shape. That chair could be 100 years old with no problem, if not older. I'm betting the brass wasn't that color originally; someone may have polished it a bit too much over the years. The design of the wood could be straight out of the 1950s, but not with that inlay. It's enough to make you want to spank the manufacturer; someone should have signed that!

 

BTW - I say call the upholstery scenes of Edinburgh and leave be.

 

Evely, or others... what's with that big wrap-around extending part at the top? Just a wild innovation by the maker? Or is there precedent?

 

No idea what to call it. Someone who knows furniture may have the name; I just recognize that inlay.

 

It is definitely an arts and crafts period chair circa 1900. I would say English or Scottish but could be Continental if push comes to shove. This is high style for the period and could be an "important" chair if you could determine maker/designer. That fabric has to go.

 

The fabric isn't right for the chair, but grandma loved it! Any ideas where I may find a mark or something to help determine maker/ designer?

 

It may not be marked. I have done a little searching but have not found anything for you. I don't know what your plans are for the chair but if interested in selling, you might approach an auction house that specializes in arts and crafts furnishings. They may know right off hand or would at least be able to evaluate it for you. Otherwise, you might contact any scholars or museum curators versed in the period. Do you have any provenance besides "grandma's colonial chair" ?

 

I wonder what the original upholstery looked like. The American chairs of the period were often leather, but this could have had some sort of fabric.

 

I remember it being fabric covered before she had it recovered. No provenance I'm afraid, I didn't ask any questions about it. I have inherited other pieces of furniture which I know came from the rag and bone man early to mid last century.