Featured Lions head chair with intricate carving

Hi,

Does anyone have any idea what period this chair might be from? The carvings are lovely, but there are weird marks at the ends of the arms. I can't figure out if the arms were glued on or what. I think it was re-upholstered at some point. I inherited it from my mother, but it may have been my great uncle's or grandfather's. They lived in Chicago. Thank you for any help you can give me! My brothers and I co-inherited everything and I am executor, so I need to either sell it or give them 1/3 of the value. No-one really wants it. I like it but my husband does not.

 

Are these shown in any of the photos?

 

Need more photos but would guess aesthetic period ca. 1880. The maker was clearly knowledgable about current styles in a way that few others could boast of, maybe Herter and Pottier and Stymus in New York. A high end Chicago cabinet maker would make sense. Probably not worth as much as you would hope, but worth having an appraiser look at it.

 

Agree with Ghopper on date and style. Not sure if it is really worth having it appraised unless you and siblings can not agree. Think value is in the low hundreds and dependent on where and how selling. While the upholstery is not horrible, I don't think it really does the chair any favor.

 

Interesting chair!
If I were your customer/buyer, I'd be willing to pay $50-100 US, knowing I'd be spending a possible couple hundred for reupholstering and repair/strengthening. But I'm a cheapskate, LOL!

 

Yes, the last photo. I guess they aren't really weird, but I don't understand why they are there.

 

Wow, this is really interesting! Thank you so much!!

 

Thank you so much! This is really interesting! Maybe I'll see if we can interest the grandkids in it. I agree about the upholstery. I hate to sell it for a low price when the lions are so interesting. Thanks again--it is great to have expert opinions!

 

Thank you! I'm a cheapskate too, but it seems to work in reverse when selling. I once held a garage sale where NO ONE bought ANYTHING! I thought everything was worth more than the buyers.

 

Carving like that is just not available anymore. Agree with very brad et. al. about the upholstery. You could improve the appearance and value of the chair with, say, an ivory damask, expensive as it is. That would be more appropriate to the age and high level of craftsmanship.