Identifying Production Year of Cushman Chair?

I purchased this chair with the intention of working on it as a beginner's refurbishing project, but I quickly realized it might be older than I thought. Based on the maker's mark and some internet research, I think this is a Cushman Furniture (Bennington, VT) design from the 1930s, number 5-183.



All that tracks, since I'm in New England. However, in my gut I doubt that the chair was actually produced in the 1930s. It's little things about the construction, like how, in my novice point of view, the arms and body of the chair appear to be made of two different types of wood. I think they are maple and pine, respectively, because of their relative hardness. (But again, I'm very much a novice.) But I also pulled out a very short copper nail from the base, which looks pretty old to me.

I'm wondering if it could be a later reproduction from the same company? Or perhaps an imitation piece from an entirely different source.

I think I've taken this as far as my googling skills will go - anybody have any advice or instincts about how to further authenticate this piece & identify its production year?

 

It occurred to me to look for traces of the nameplate... and indeed, on the underside directly across from the maker's mark, there are two small holes and a discoloration in the wood that indicate a removed, rectangular plate. Approx 3/4" wide and 2 3/4" long.

 

This chair really is a 30's style (give or take a decade at most.) My late in-laws had a couple Cushman chairs very similar. What I don't get is the webbing attached the way it is here. That looks like some kind of non-professional alteration. Do you have the cushions?

 

Oh yeah, that webbing was definitely a hack fix. There were poorly driven in nails and staples all over it, and when I removed them I could see the old nails underneath with tiny shreds of the original webbing fabric.

I have the cushions but didn't include them in the photo, because they've clearly been re-done in a new fabric. They match a nice, solid footstool that came with the chair. The legs on the footstool are a very different style, a bit of an ornate claw-and-ball situation, so I thought they probably were not a matched set originally. I haven't been able to find any markings on the footstool, although I can see on the underside that the older upholstery fabric is clearly still on it underneath the new. It looks to be a pink brocade-type design on a beige background. Haven't investigated further yet.

 

Facts about this chair; Cushman 'Lenox' chair, introduced in 1935, appeared in their catalog 1935-37 and 1939. Made of Northern yellow birch from upper N.Y. or Canada. Yes, it would have had a rectangular metal name plate with model #5-183 stamped into it. That russet finish looks original - they were known for their nine part high quality finishing process. Nice Cushman chair.

 

Ha! I was just going to tag you Drew!

 

Oh wow, thank you! I pulled up the 1939 catalog online, and weirdly, the chair looks a lot more like the 5-180 "Lancaster" Chair from the same set as the Lenox. I wonder if it was mislabeled..
.

 

I think that 1939 catalog has it labeled wrong. My Cushman book shows a 'Lenox' chair and it looks just like yours. The 'Lancaster' is the one with one piece front of arm to floor. Also, in the model number index in the book, it lists #5-183 as 'Lenox'

 

I have a cushman end table single thru draw. Serial 0007. And info on the year ?

 

It's an interesting chair @Schuman City. What kinds of progress did you make with your re-hab of it?

 

Mr City has not been back here in over a year.........!

 

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