Help Identify Chair?

[CastIronCook2]

I'd like to research possible values on a chair that belonged to my first husband's grandmother, who lived in a sod house in the Dakotas. Trouble is, I don't know how to begin 'cause I don't even know what this kind of chair is called. It's obviously handmade, has no screws or other metal fasteners of any type; everything fits together very cunningly. The back bows way back.

Can anybody help? http://www.webuildbooks.com/chair.JPG
If I had a search term, a name for this style of chair, it would help a lot.

[Mom5farmboys]

What a beautiful heirloom! Other than that sorry I can't help much. Does it look homemade or are there any markings on the bottom under the seat?

[CastIronCook2]

Mom, there are no markings whatsoever. The seat is a solid piece, plank-like, slightly shaped. There's a shallow carved groove accenting the line of the seat. I don't even know what to call it to look it up online. It may have even been a homemade, one-of-a-kind item, for all I know.

[flatwater]

Yep , that there is sure enough a chair. My best guess is one you sit on . other then that I'm like James dean " a rebel without a clue "

[jonvee]

I'm not absolutly positive, but it looks like a version of a Windsor Chair, popular in the 1700 and 1800's.

I think I read that you live in No Cal. If that's correct you can call Bonham and Butterfields or Sotheby's in San Francisco, they sometimes do apprisal clinics free to the public. Or you can ask them for a private apprisal. I don't think they charge.

But, be prepared, if it's vaulable they'll try to get you to consign it to one of their auctions.

What a fun mystery.

[NCLee]

What a wonderful old chair. The patenia (sp) is beautiful. Agree that it has a Windsor look about it.

One note, though, even today quality chairs of this style are still 'handmade' in that the joints don't need screws or other fasteners to hold them together.

My best suggestion is to go to ebay and start your search there for wooden chairs. Then, as you spot terms that may apply to yours, narrow down the search. Windsor is a good search term, although I don't think yours is a Windsor due to the height of the back in portion to the seat. However, I'm no expert, so I could easily be wrong.

FWIW, that's how I identified my mother's Hoosier Style kitchen cabinet. Through ebay searching, located one identical to hers that included a Montgonery Wards catalog picture.

Oh, one more thing.... take it out into the sunlight, turn it upside down, to look for a maker's mark. Sometimes these are simply small symbols that are hard to see, especially after the finish has aged.

Hope this helps, a bit. Good luck in finding out more about it. Do keep us posted as to what you find out.

Lee

[CapeCMom]

It looks like the type that Hitchcock made but the lack of markings is suspect. Perhaps it's from Philadelphia or Boston. Early 1800's. The patina suggests the age and the wear marks from people sitting in it over the years. I've seen stuff like this on Antiques Roadshow.
Don't ever refinish it or clean it up beyond what you have done-it ruins the value. I love it!

[CastIronCook2]

I appreciate all the helpful input. No marks visible at all, not even small ones. Yes to the patina and the tiny dings from many years of use. Fortunately, I did know enough not to refinish it.

It could well have originated in New England. The first husband's grandmother did come from there originally and could well have carried it with her when she moved to the Dakotas. It had probably been in her family for a while, for her to have taken it on such a trek.

Thanks for the referrals to ebay and to Butterfield's and Sotheby's. Sounds worth pursuing.

It was nice to awaken to your thoughtful responses. Thanks, all!

[PaulNKS]

Is it a type of a "captain's chair". Maybe that is a place to start.