Hairy paws, scary jaws! What's your guess on the age of this chair?

It's got some fantastic carving going on. Would love to hear everyone's ideas on the age of this chair. It came from the boyhood home of Woodrow Wilson in Augusta, GA when they did an auction about 30 years ago.

 

Id guess 1880s or so,maybe Italian.

 

I'd guess that's about right. Called a Throne chair or X frame folding chair or sometimes Dante chair. These chairs have been around for centuries in ancient Egypt, Rome & Greece

 

I hope you still have the papers...or cataloge..!

 

Savonarola chair, the Dante chairs don’t have all the slats.

 

That date is right in line with what we were thinking, but I didn't make the Italian connection.

Komokwa...the auction took place just before the house was sold at auction. The home was purchased by the city and has been painstakingly restored over the years. It's now a museum and they've been slowly buying back pieces of the original furniture as they turn up. A lot of the furnishings are "on loan" to the house too. We'll be getting in touch with them to see if they want this to go back home where it belongs.

 

Yeah, that could very well be correct. Here is an english example, about 1550, notice the slats are MIA. OP chair has all the hallmarks of the Victorian Age i think with all that carving.

 

Hmmmmm, it could have historical value that exceeds it's antique value. Naturally, museums are notorious for coaxing objects/resources from patrons if they can. All for the public good, don't ya know!