Antique 17th Century English Chairs: Back-Stools, Caned and Farthingales
CHAIRS: BACK-STOOLS, FARTHINGALES, CANED AND OTHER 17THC SEATS
About 1615-1700
Typical upholstered farthingale chair.
The 17thC saw the widespread introduction of the single chair, referred to at the time as a `back-stool’, literally a stool with a back. Fixed upholstery sometimes replaced loose cushions and after 1660 woven canework introduced from the East Indies was fashionably seen on the seats, and often the backs too, of most chairs.
Chairs were increasingly made in sets, comprising both arm and single chairs.
Continental (and particularly Dutch) influence was strong on all furniture. Under William and Mary, chair design was greatly influenced by the Huguenot designer Daniel Marot (p. 200).
Three most common types were:
Farthingales: Fashionable about 1615-1660. The name refers to the gap between the seat and back which presumably allowed women wearing hooped farthingale skirts to sit in relative comfort. These were probably
the earliest type of back-stool. At first, they had four matching turned legs joined by four straight and low stretchers. Upholstered seat; low, upholstered rectangular back with uprights covered in same material. Before long, the front legs only were turned back, the back legs being plain, square-sectioned, and slightly splayed. Back raked. Baluster turning replaced about 1650 by bobbin and twist.
Oak dining-chairs: About 1650-1700, many of ‘country’ appearance, but not necessarily of provincial manufacture.
Yorkshire/ Derbyshire chairs, mid to late-18thC.
Regional variations though, the most distinctive being the ‘Yorkshire and Derbyshire’ chair. Despite its name, made in other areas too. Generally square seats, rimmed around the edge. Back with vertical or horizontal slats, sometimes carved. Often a shaped or scrolling top rail. Turned legs at front. After 1660, a new stretcher arrangement became apparent. The plain back, and turned or carved front stretchers, were set higher than before with two stretchers at either side. This type was quickly superseded in fashionable London (and soon elsewhere) by:
canework chairs: First introduced to Britain about 1665. Inexpensive and common, made in large numbers for all types of houses. At first, a squarish seat and back with large gap between. Widely spaced canework. All uprights and stretchers fashionably twist, occa-sionally bobbin, turned. Back uprights ending in finials. Flat arms, slightly shaped. ‘H’ stretchers introduced with additional and higher stretcher at front and back.
In 1670, the height of the back increased. The back top rail was formed as carved cresting, complemented by deep, carved front stretcher. Framing of the back also carved. Swept arms, scrolling over the uprights,
which were still continuous with the legs. S-scrolls sometimes appeared in the design of front legs and increasingly on the front stretcher and framing of the canework on the back. This could be one or two rectangular panels, occasionally an oval.
After 1685, backs grew taller and narrower, with turned column uprights, sometimes fluted. Mesh of canework finer. Cresting sat on, rather than between, the uprights and sometimes matched the front stretcher. Seats smaller, supported on S-scroll and baluster-turned legs, fashionably ending in an inward-scrolling ‘Braganza’ foot, a Spanish feature. Front stretcher often of Dutch bow form.
During the 1690s, caning on back was often replaced by openwork carving and an upholstered seat. Sometimes a serpentine X-frame stretcher, close to the ground and supported on bun feet with tapered legs above and inverted cup knees. Alternatively, the carved
DUTCH IMPORTS
Many almost identical caned chairs were imported from Holland in this period and usually can be identified by thicker and shallower twist turning than English pieces; and by the absence or low position of the rear
stretcher (level with the ‘H’ stretchers). More than one type of turning may be present within a single chair.
front stretcher was set back several inches and tenoned into side stretchers. Legs sometimes formed as broad S-scrolls. Cabriole legs began to appear around 1700.
Oak, walnut. Cheaper beech sometimes used for painted or japanned chairs.
Tenoned joints until about 1685. Thereafter, cresting dowelled on to up-rights and seat dowelled on to legs at front. Chairs of this type made in walnut or beech may be structurally weak. Check for signs of repair.
Turning: Bobbin and twist more fashionable until about 1685, then baluster, but all types used at all times.
Carving: Mostly scrolls, flowers and foliage. By 1685 often pierced. Amorini supporting the crown (signifying the restoration of the monarchy) a popular motif for cresting, even during the William and Mary period. Found as late as 1700.
Victorian reproduction of provincial chair, with inferior carving.
1690s walnut chair of Marot type, with inverted cup knees and Dutch bow stretcher.
Generally polish. Grandest painted or gilt. Sometimes ebonised. During Restoration period fashionably japanned. Sometimes beech ‘grained’ (painted) to simulate more expensive walnut.
VALUES
Singles cheaper than armchairs. Those showing strong Dutch influence, with elaborate carving and swept arms fetch the largest sums, especially the Marot types, with upholstered seats, pierced backs. Generally
increasing in value as they get later and more elaborate.
Oak dining-chair, common from about 1660-1680.
Late-17thC chair with canework seat and back, and scrolled front legs.
Tags: 17th century, Antique, BACK-STOOLS, cabriole, CANED, CHAIRS, Dining Chairs, farthingale chair, FARTHINGALES, furniture, Mary, oak, stools, upholstery, VALUES, William, william and mary