Featured Child's bent twig chair -- what can you tell me?

This was at a thrift store yesterday.

I don't have a B/M store, so was tempted to pass on it, but in the end I got it. Worst case I might be able to sell it on Craigslist. It does have a certain charm. It is a small chair, roughly 2 ft tall at the back.

Wasn't sure if it was some boy scout project, or the like. Any thoughts as to age, etc.?

Thanks!

 

Charming! Id have bought it. Whats with the green splotches ? It doesnt look like it was painted all over.

 

I love it too!

 

More interesting than most and seems to have at least a bit of age to it. Old ones can get pricey in some markets. Here is one priced $375.00. They haven't sold it and I know I would be lucky to get $45.00 for it in my market but who knows?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/494175014/antique-adirondack-folk-art-bent-willow?ref=market

 

I like it.
A bit of tlc and a cushion for the seat (I'd look for material with a bit of that turquoise in it) and it can join its little friend on Etsy.

 

Re the last photo posted above:

Do any others see two "possible" trefoil shapes carved into the left side (looking at the photo) post at the back of the chair near the top (or am I simply confused or just plain )?

If the trefoil shape is present could it be a Girl Scout's woodworking project?

 

I thought those were nodes in the wood, where branches used to be. But it is an odd shape. Does anyone know that kind of wood?
There is a side view of one near the bottom.

 

Hi,
That little chair brought back so many memories. When I was a child, there was a group of backwoods men I think from GA drove through the country side selling these little chairs and a sofa sized pieces. My frugal Grandmother broke down and spent 10 dollars buying the sofa, chair and three of these smaller chairs for the grandkids. She put them out in the back thinking she might paint them white. The next morning when she went out, the furniture was missing. There was NEVER ever any stealing in our small neck of the boondocks. Two days later my Gram found out the lady three farms over from us bought the set from the guys that sold her set. Gram called the state police and reported the robbery. Mrs Gordon who bought the set sent them over to Gram. Gram was still angry. The guys were never caught but that "furniture" was the most talked about thing in the area. It seems that they sold the same set to three other people before my Gram bought it.
greg

 

Hi,
The bark on the wood looks like cherry. The curved pieces are willow.
greg

 

These are generally willow but agree that those red barked uprights look like cherry. The cross-bars used front and back are pine. I imagine the seat could be plywood but better/older if it is a solid plank, Can you tell? I think I see some straight saw marks on the underside (good sign).

 

Thanks everyone, just got back to these great comments. Love the story, Greg. Unbelievable!

Let me see what other photos I have.

 

In response to Brad's question, the seat is a solid plank, not plywood. Also not several planks together, but one plank.

As for the green, as mentioned it doesn't look like the whole thing was painted. Seems to be just on the ends of the open wood and also wherever nails were put into place. Maybe was used as some kind of sealant.

I think the trefoil shapes are just coincidental. Must be the natural shape of the nodes in the wood, but good eye, Yourturn. They seem to have some kind of filler or coating which does make them stand out, but looking carefully I think it is just a natural shape in the wood.

Here are a few more photos:

 

One thing I am noticing, thanks to Brad pointing it out, is that this one has a seat that is a solid plank.

None of the others have this, not the $375 one on Etsy or any currently on Ebay. I think this was some wood worker or hobbyist's creation.

The Etsy one claims to have some provenance dating theirs to the 20's or 30's and it is very close in style and size to this one. Maybe this is that old. I would think maybe 20's-50's if I had to guess.

I doubt I could get anything near $375. I think I might try Craigslist for $40-50. Funny Brad mentioned $45, that is exactly the ballpark amount I was thinking.

 

Did you check for saw marks on the seat bottom? If straight saw marks, the plank seat would probably date before 1870. Of course an old piece of wood could have been used for this. Likely individual built so quirky details like this are a distinct possibility. Any way you look at it, this has some age and a lot of charm. I would be inclined to ask a little more and come down if necessary.

I don't know where you are but what I can get here need not be your benchmark. Truth be known, this would not sell on our CL for decent money at all. Nothing but bottom feeders there. It would need a proper retail setting to get any attention at all here and might languish anyway.

True story:
Dealer friend of mine here had a bent willow smoking stand with the top having a log cabin that was a cigarette box that you removed the roof to open, A wishing well was for matches and a pond for the ashtray. A gravel path served as striker. Good age, good condition, painted up nicely, and very folk artsy. He started it at $235.00. A year later he was down to $99.00 and it still didn't sell. It was at $45.00 and I was thinking about buying it. However, if he couldn't sell it, how could I? I thought about it for ebay but decided I didn't want to mess with shipping. He finally sold it to another dealer for $25.00 just to get some money back out of it. It was the kind of thing I could have seen at over $500.00 in a folk art focused big city show, yet it languished here for well over a year without any interest. Market is everything.

 

Thank you for the follow-up, Brad.

Wasn't sure how to look for the saw marks, so here is another photo. Not sure if you can tell from this angle, photo taken from under the chair.

If there is any chance it is older still, say late 1800's, that does make it a bit more interesting. (Funny, I had just posted the CL ad 3 minutes before you wrote. What the heck, I went in and changed $50 to $80. Easy enough, not like a BIN or anything. We'll see what happens... ) Can always drop the price later if needed. But have to say, would be positively thrilled to get anything close to $80.

CL is a little funny here. Mostly "bottom feeders" too, but you never know. This would be so cute in a cabin or on a porch, but it is quite small. Was kind of thinking value was somewhat minimal because of the size, but it does have a unique look.

Not sure if this shows the saw marks, but here is a photo taken from underneath seat:

 

Those are straight saw marks but am thinking the board older than the rest. The round head nails are later. Still think it could be early 20th century. Neat little chair that they wont find another like. Also, sometimes the smaller chairs are worth more than the big. Grandma's love to buy kids chairs and/or people decorate with them.

 

Maybe post a picture with a big flowering geranium, or such, tucked up on the seat.

 

In response to the green paint on the end of the bent twig work and where the nails have been placed in, I have been doing a green wood working course and painting or sealing the ends (with high quality glue) of green wood before you work with it, slows the drying time which helps prevent the wood from splitting.
Just a bit of trivia which probably doesn't help age or price it. Although I found it interesting to see it in practice on an older piece of furniture

 

Didn't know that, thanks.
But this paint seems to have been applied after the chair was finished, since there is also some on the front of the seat, where the ends of the supporting branches are.