Windsor Comb Back Rocker with Brace

Right side by J.R. posted Sep 5, 2019 at 9:39 AM

Left Side by J.R. posted Sep 5, 2019 at 9:39 AM

Bottom by J.R. posted Sep 5, 2019 at 9:39 AM

Back by J.R. posted Sep 5, 2019 at 9:39 AM

Seat view by J.R. posted Sep 5, 2019 at 9:39 AM

I got this Windsor Comb Back Rocker with Brace passed down to me. No personal history available. I have been unable to find one just like it. In particular, I have searched for rockers with brace, that uses five spindles for the upper back, has the two spindles supporting the rocker and shows no carving on the ears. There are no stamp or trade markings on the chair.

I am hoping those features will help identifying 1) the maker, 2) the region built, 3) the approx age and hopefully 4) the ballpark value.

I have very little experience identifying antique (100+) vs. vintage (20+), so please feel free to talk down to me. I probably won’t understand antique lingo, but I would welcome any answers to those four questions.

Thanks, Cluttered.

 

You're Welcome.
You did a great job posting.

My opinion and only an opinion.
English style Windsor. 1930s-60s.

Let's ask the furniture gurus
@verybrad @James Conrad @Ghopper1924

 

Any idea what the writing on the bottom represents? Could this be a builder marking? An auctioneer marking? (I would hope not)

 

nothing to do with the mfg of the chair...

 

1. Not a clue but factory/machine built
2. Could be anywhere in america or england
3. 2nd half, 20th century
4. $50 USD or less, single chairs are a tough sell, rockers even more so

 

Thanks. Obviously not what I had hoped to hear, but then...I’ve heard worse things in my 64 years.

 

LOL, Well SORRY! and i could be wrong! wait for others to post.
What were you thinking it was? & where are you located & where did you get the chair?

 

The seat is made up of at least 4 boards so that kinda rules out an in period (18th century) windsor chair right off the bat. Ditto a reproduction made in the 19th -21st century in the traditional way, you can buy windsors today that are handmade just like in the 18th century. Both america & england still have some fabulous chair makers that specialize in building Windsors.

 

Pretty little rocker. Is this sack back or comb back. Maybe a combination of both?

 

I am in Tampa and it was given to me by a client who had it in the garage for years and couldn’t recall where he got it. It had enough unique features that I couldn’t find one like it in a few books I found at the library on early American Windsor chairs, or eBay, or etsy or any of the auction houses that post online.

Those features I tried to find were the double spindles at the bottom, the 5 spindle upper back and absence of carving on ears. I found some of each, but none with all of those features. I thought that would help rule out machine manufacturing, so it made me think it might be either a hand built predecessor to the common Windsor chairs of the 50s and 60s, or that it was at least a late 20th century Amish creation, both of which I suspect would help push up the value.

 

I am pretty sure it is a Comb Back, but...then I also thought it was 100+ years old.

 

Yes. Seat is made with four boards.

 

Yep, it is a comb back, CORRECT!
Here is a 3 min video of Curtis Buchanan, an outstanding windsor chair maker, gives you an idea about what is involved in making a traditional chair, from riven wood to milk paint, all in 3 mins.
A handmade comb back windsor in 3 mins!

 

With Cluttered and James "Windsor Guru" Conrad on this: 1960s is my guess.

 

LOL, hardly a guru but i do like them, very comfy chairs. I downloaded a price list on Curtis site for his windsors just to see what a period reproduction built in the traditional way goes for these days. Not cheap but, high quality never is, never has been really.