Antiques with In A Nutshell

If you want to know how to tell whether a chair is good quality and has been well made, there’s a very easy way to find out - simply sit in it! I always say a good chair will be comfortable. You know something has been properly made when you sit in it and you don’t want to get out of it! Everything from the shape and the design to the upholstery has been carefully thought out and skilfully constructed. You’ll feel supported and the shape will feel natural with no sharp edges or awkward protruding angles. This theory was put to the test and proved true again this week when I bought a leather lounge chair with matching footstool. It is a very recognisable design first introduced by Charles and Ray Eames in 1956 in America. The chair was inspired by the traditional English club chair and Charles wanted the chair to have “the warm, receptive look of a well-used first baseman’s mitt”. From those original designs the chair has gone on to be produced to this very day and has been seen in magazines, studios and film sets across the world. This particular chair was made later than the original but has been made in the same style and to the same high quality standards. It’s not strictly an antique but, like I’ve said before, there are some pieces which are such iconic designs that I can’t resist buying them. The great thing with these timeless pieces is that they can be mixed so effortlessly with any interior, modern or classic, and they never seem to look out of place. Looking back, it seems like it has been a week for comfortable chairs because I’ve also bought an unusual Windsor type chair. This one is much older than the lounge chair, dating from around the late 1800s, but just as comfortable with a beautiful shaped seat and a tall back that hugs you when you sit in it. A Windsor Chair is essentially characterised by having a thick, one-piece seat which has legs mortised from below and spindles slotted in from above that form the back rest. They were given the name Windsors because they were first made in the Thames Valley and around Windsor itself. They were soon being made all over the country and regional craftsmen would put their own spin on the classic design - perhaps a different variation of turning in the spindles, a different carved back splat or a different leg. To me, this particular model has an Arts and Crafts influence with the shaped seat, tall back and curved rail joining the spindles. It is plainer in design than a lot of the earlier Victorian Windsor chairs and the emphasis here is on craftsmanship and the skill in the simplicity of the design.The Arts and Crafts movement was a reaction, almost a protest, against the industrialisation and mass production seen during the Victorian era. Arts and Crafts showcased simplicity, honesty and functionality, with an emphasis on solid construction and natural materials. It promoted traditional craftsmanship and the use of high-quality materials, emphasising the value of handmade objects - something this chair demonstrates in abundance.

If there’s something you’d like to know more about or have any questions you’d like answering don’t forget you can send me an email : contact@inanutshellantiquesandinteriors.co.uk