Throne Chair

I'm wondering if one of you fine antique lovers could tell me a bit about this chair: Age, country, value, et cetra.

 

Looks like the chair(s) in the chancel (of a church) which ministers/pastors sat in during church services (during the congregational singing of hymns or other events). The cut-outs on the top back appear to be a (stylized) cross and two "matching" symbols for the "Holy Trinity."

 

Welcome!

 

Thanks! The woman who sold it to me said she believed it to be from the late 1800s or the early 1900s, but she wasn't sure. I'm definitely not an antiques expert, by any means, but I just like the way it looks; the fact that you say it's from a church is interesting, for sure!

 

Thanks!

 

My denomination was still in church structures with that type of "furnishings/appointments" well into the 1970s and some still are (thank goodness, but that's just my feelings).

 

So, it could be a newer piece because they had style?

 

Not necessarily a "newer piece" -- those chairs were sturdy and generally were used for a long period of time (years and years and years) and had a "long life" (although I am sure they had to be reupholstered occasionally).

It wouldn't surprise me if they are still being manufactured for older (large?) "traditional" churches.

 

Oh, ok! Thanks for that!
Do you believe that I overpaid at $350.00?

 

Yes ! I cant believe they wanted that much ! Where are you,New York city ?!? I do believe they were right on the date,for what its worth.

 

Aww, man.
Nope; Michigan. I think that she thought she was giving me a deal because she paid MUCH more and wanted to off-load it, as she's down-sizing. I do not believe that she knew how much it was worth.

There was a woman who sells antiques who came to buy some stuff from her before, and she wanted the chair SO desperately; the woman I bought it from wasn't wanting to sell it. When the woman came back to buy more stuff, she immediately asked about the chair, probably wanting to sell it for a mint at her store, but the seller told me she'd allow me to buy it before anybody else. I jumped at the offer because I figured I'd never come across another one.

 

I will say,after looking around a little,you really didn't overpay by too much. I was surprised to see how much church furniture was going for ! Most of us on here just offer opinions,sometimes not so good ones . Its a great chair.

 

I do think gothic revival and late 19th century. It likely came from a church as others have suggested but could also just be a dining chair. Can't tell the wood from these pics but may be walnut. I think $350.00 is a bit beyond top retail here in the Midwest. There was a time it easily would have brought that but those days are gone.

Here is a set of 5 that sold at auction for $400.00 against an estimate of $500-800.00. Note that they all do not match exactly and that may have kept the price down a bit.




https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/32230489_an-assembled-set-of-gothic-revival-chairs

 

Dasti, just wondering if you bought it for your own use or to sell. You don't have to answer that question here but . . .

I will tell you that I looked up the state where you bought it and found that that state has a large number of churches of my denomination. If you bought it to sell you "might" find a ready market for it there, but I won't speculate on the price you might get for it (it "might" depend on the size of the congregation and the age and style of architecture of the church which could be interested).

 

That's a relief! Haha!
Thank you; I really do love it!

 

That set is so beautiful, and yeah, I think the seller and I both overpaid for it, haha!
Thanks for your assessment; as for the wood, I haven't a clue. I think it needs to be reupholstered, though! Since it's not stupidly valuable, might as well, right?

 

I bought it for myself; as a matter of fact, that was a major reason why the seller wanted me to buy it, as opposed to the antiques lady. It goes great with my couch AND my personality, haha! What can I say? I fell in love.

 

And that is the very best reason to buy something !

 

For sure!

 

Won't hurt to reupholster since it has apparently been done before. If you post a better close-up picture, I can probably identify the wood for you.