Antique English CHAIRS, WAINSCOT OR ‘COINED’, VICTORIAN WAINSCOT CHAIRS
About 1550-1660, but still made in country areas, particularly the North, until about 1750.
Before 1600 chairs were used only by the master and mistress of the house, everyone else sitting on stools, benches or settles. Although increasingly used by lesser mortals too during the 17thC, the
presence of arms and the extent and elaboration of carving found on wainscot chairs indicate their high status. Originally they would have had a loose, upholstered seat cushion.
Most show distinctive regional characteristics too numerous to describe. For further information, see Oak Furniture by Victor Chinnery (Antique Collectors’ Club).
Flat wooden seats with moulded edge projecting slightly beyond deepish, moulded or carved seat rail. Turned legs at front, straight at back, joined by four straight and low stretchers. Gently scrolling arms with scrolled ends on turned supports; supports usually continuous with legs. Moderately tall panelled back with decorative carving and occasionally inlay. Uprights and rails often carved too; top rail extending beyond sides with supporting ‘ears’ and arched cresting.
Detail of scrolled arm and turned supports.
Oak, with holly, bog oak; fruitwoods and the like for inlay.
Tongue-and-groove panelling; pegged mortise-and-tenon joints.
Carving: Extremely variable, with many regional characteristics. Mostly stylized flowers and vines, occasionally birds. Sometimes geometric. From the late-16thC some Renaissance classical ornament such as guilloche.
Inlay or marquetry: Usually floral, occasionally geometric borders.
Polish. Should have good patina.
VALUES
The most expensive (into five figures) will show all the most desirable features  a fine cresting, ‘ear pieces’, inlay or marquetry, good patina and plentiful and vigorous carving.
VICTORIAN WAINSCOT CHAIRS
Wainscot chairs were sometimes reproduced by the Victorians, but these lack patina, are generally too dark in colour and have shallow carving, restricted in extent. If these features are not obvious, look for genuine signs of wear, particularly on the front stretcher or the under-sides of the feet; and for ‘rubbed’ areas on the ends of the arms. Be suspicious if all four stretchers are equally `damaged’.
17thc wainscot chair with carved cresting, ear-pieces and panelled back.

CHAIRS —WAINSCOT

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A fine example of antique English Wainscot chair, inlaid in flower patterns of various woods, and deeply carved. The decorative top rail and shoulder pieces of this oak and mahigany Wainscot chair furniture combine to provide a suitably impressive backcloth to the sitter’s head. This is a typical 17th Century wood chair  with carved lion heads and feet and is made in 1600`s (see Chinnery).
An example of 17th century oak chair with fluted legs and arm supports and carved panelled back with guilloche carving on the uprights and seat rails, but replaced top rail (see section on Victorian carved oak chairs). c.1625
Prior to the early seventeenth century the head of the house and his wife sat on folding mahogany dining chairs usually wood carved, the rest on stools. The carved back dining chair was, therefore, a status symbol. By late times the Elizabethan chair had become the solidly constructed type illustrated, usually in oak, 1666 saw a furniture maker’s dream come true — a fire destroying nearly all fashionable London without loss of life, and a new style lately arrived from France where antique louis 14th chairs flourished and Italy with Charles II oak chairs with twist legs.
The antique oak panelled dining chair and mahogany chairs were dead in fashionable society but, judging by the number of Wainscot chairs dating as late as 1700`s, the style enjoyed continued popularity in the country, especially the north of Britain. There are many Victorian reproductions of these antique chairs on the market.  Elements of style as well as lion head arms, lions feet, claw foot and velvet upholstery was much imitated later.
Value Points: Marquetry, good vigorous deep carving, inlay and, of course, patination. Ideally the chair should have a slightly high back with plenty of decoration on the top — the throne effect. The pattern should be clearly defined as a specific subject and not just general decoration.
Dated 1678 with baluster rather than straight turned legs and simple top rail, the back with shallow carving of decorated diamond form — probably South Yorkshire.
A Wainscot chair of a simpler but still well carved design incorporating birds which can be identified to a group made in South Yorkshire in the third quarter of the seventeenth century (see Chinnery). Furniture is vigorously carved and retains the high top rail and supporting pieces of the earlier type. c. 1650-1675
This oak Wainscot chair comes from another well defined group in Cheshire (see Chinnery) and has very good carving with flowers and vines in an almost tapestry type outline. The pyramid finials on the top of the low back are typical of the group.  c. 1660.