Armchair, c.1902

Oak and original rush

This chair was designed by C.F.A. Voysey and probably made by F.C. Nielsen, London. It was owned by Voysey until his death, then by his son, Charles Cowles Voysey, and then by the Voysey family’s doctor, Joan Slack (b.1925).

Adam Bowett Catalogue 14/08/2012

Description

A pair of oak armchairs. The splats are pierced with a heart, between upper and lower cross rails, the back posts rising above the upper cross rail; the flat, curved arms have squared-off ends. The slip seats are raised on square legs tapering to an octagon, with plain stretchers all round.

Dimensions

H: 41” (104cm) Seat height: 17 ½ ” (44cm) W: 24 ” (61cm) D: 20 “ (51cm)

Designer/Maker

C.F.A. Voysey (1957-1941)

Materials

Oak, deal, rush

Dating Criteria

This model of chair was designed by Voysey in 1902.

Construction

The back cross rails are tenoned into the back posts; splat is dovetailed with exposed dovetails into the upper and lower cross rails. The arms are tenoned into the posts fore and aft, and the flat arm rests glued on top. The seat rails are tenoned all round and are rebated to receive the seat; the face of the rails is sharply chamfered on the inner face, the stretchers are tenoned all round. The seat frame is of softwood, half-lapped at the corners and with an oak facing on the upper side.

Marks or stamps

49.1 The seat is marked X on one corner, there is no corresponding mark on the chair.

49.2 None.

Condition

49.1 Condition basically sound. Both arms have filled nail holes on the upper surface of the arm rest, indicating repairs to what is manifestly a weak point of construction. There appear to have been glue blocks at some time supporting the underside of the arms. There are repairs to the rush

49.2 As for 49.1.

Additional remarks

This pair of chairs is essentially an armed version of 47.1-2. There are slight differences in construction which might indicate a different workman or a different period of manufacture.

References

Jeremy Cooper, Victorian and Edwardian Furniture and Interiors, Hong Kong (1987).

Provenance

Purchased Paul Reeves, August 1996