Featured Gillows 18th/19th Century Chair

Tell me about this chair that I bought I’d heard of Gillows of Lancaster before so I went for it. Probably 19th century but I don’t know much about gillows and I definately don’t know much about furniture yet.

I’ve arranged for it to be delivered on Sunday so I can get any more photos then. Got this for £30 because of the dreaded Pick up only on eBay.

 

Oh, well done, that's a bargain. The upholstery is horrible, but the chair was a steal. 19th C and a hall chair again, but SO much above the league of those other two. And much earlier. Might have had a rattan caned seat and back once.

Can you see the difference on the sheer quality of it?

 

Another quick look. Not a rattan seat, you've original webbing. Probably leather. I'g pull a corner of that velvet back, see what you have underneath.

 

Sorry to be a pain but could I see an example of what you think the original could have looked like?

And yeh I certaintly can xD I was watching an episode of a UK antiques show flog it and a gillows chair came on there so I did a quick search on eBay and this showed up cheap and close

Also I might get it reupholstered, you have any suggestions on what’s look good, I’ll check what under first though for sure

 

Nice chair, and I agree, much better quality than your two 'ebonised' chairs.
I think the present upholstery is what it should look like, typically Victorian, velvet with a fringe.

 

Woohoo! Sounds like a better answer xD nothing to replace. What dyou reckon about that Bear

 

You could still take a look underneath, there could be leather, since the fringe looks like a replacement. But this style upholstery is in keeping with the period.

 

I think the fringing and velvet are all wrong for a hall chair, which is what this is. Have a google on Victorian Gillows hall chair - you'll see what I mean. They're typically wood or leather. Velvet was for sitting room furniture. That braid looks later, anyhow.

Aha. Try this one: https://www.loveantiques.com/antiqu...arge-oak-throne-or-hall-chair-by-gillow-89357

I think yours is nicer and has to be worth at least ten times that thirty quid. If you're selling it, leave it alone, anyhow.

 

I agree, no fussing about. It will sell as it is.

 

I might keep it cause of how nice it is. What would improve it dyou think? Replacing the trim or replacing it all with leather

 

Why don't you take a look under the velvet before you decide.

 

I would think of this as Jacobean Revival.

 

If I were keeping it, I'd see what's under that velvet. If it's leather, ditch the damn fabric, then get some proper old copperor brass furniture studs and redo the seats. If there's no leather, find someone who is ditching a battered leather sofa, cut a piece to fit, and then stud it.

At the very least get rid of that horrid trim.

 

I’ll consider that, everyone I know hates the trim.
My hopes are up about the leather now we’ll see

 

The Victorian age was great for lack of taste in anything to do with the home.
But also great for beautiful jewellery.

The fringe on the Victorian trim would have been even longer.

 

Well, in defence of the victorian age, it was the first time in history that humans had leisure or free time to mess around the house, naturally a few excesses crept in.

 

And don’t forget the obsession with death and morbidity that is amazing now and creeps most people out the best thing the Victorians left

Nothing like the sight of a good old grave cage to show you that the modern age will never exist, people always come up with something ridiculous.

 

Was that to protect the dearly departed from grave robbers?

 

You wish it was to protect you. Just in case the deceased became vampires or zombies!!!