Code: 10496
Dimensions:
For sale is a beautiful and architectural, decorative Scottish Northern Isles vernacular armchair. In the distinctive design shape of Orkney.
A 'heided stool' of vernacular distinction.
- The distinctive characteristics of this rare armchair with enclosed fan back design, low hood and front panel / draft board from the second half of 19th Century or early 20th Century.
- This rare vernacular example looks to have always has been designed and made to incorporate an upholstered elevated Orkney back flared with a distinctive and attractive curved galvanised strapwork frame for a bit more additional comfort. Glavanized metal produced from 1837 would not have been available until the mid 19th Century onwards.
- The armachair has a lovely softwood or pine board solid seat, draft panel on the front (for the stool part of the armchair), which is fielded to the inside and a slightly raked and comfortable angle to the armchair.
- It has beautifully worn iron red painted legs and stretches with considerable wear. It has elegant, galvanized strapwork curved to provide a comfortable and large enclosing back. The seat surface is lovely and bleached from scrubbing or cleaning along with the wear to the front panel.
- It has pegged construction throughout to the pine joined stool sections with later repairs to the corners. The uprights have always been upholstered with remnant copper headed tacks, nails, material, historic black canvas etc wound around the top rail into which the upholstery could be secured / stitched as found. It is unclear with the curved top rail to the heided part of the stool if this would have been completely enclosed or hooded
- It has lovely sloping arms, with a curve and great patina from age.
- The chair is very solid and large for an Orkney chair in particular across the shoulders as many are small for a modern height/frame. It has been re-upholstered in its life, repaired, patched and nailed together in places and retains considerable vernacular charm throughout.
- It retains evidence of a lovely faded iron red paint around the stool part with wear, marks and evidence of use for an antique everyday chair such as this.
- The chair is as found to retain its history and orginal character, (*the Harris tweed knee blankets are not included in the sale of the armchair, and are for context and scale). The armchair is comfortable as is, but with a throw, blanket to cushion is ready for use in a new home. We absoloutely love this chair in the manner in which its design and utility combine in an iconic Scottish vernacular chair.
Not all Northern Isles chairs were always straw backed :0) and their are a couple of examples of canvas and upholstery in Cotton.
Ready for architectural and decorative utility in a new kitchen or firehoose.
Another unusual and disctinctive Scottish vernacular chair from W&W Antiques
Free delivery to the UK mainland as priced. International buyers are welcome, but please contact us prior to payment to confirm the additional packaging, insurance and shipping costs by way of acceptance to your country. Purchaser responsible for local import tariffs/fees. If you are interested in multiple items, please contact us for combined postage.
