Code: 10470
Dimensions:
A beautiful arts and crafts revival Caithness chip-carved American Oak crofter chair from circa 1918-1939 by McIvor & Allan, noted woodchip carvers from Castletown, Caithness.
- A characteristic early 20th Century Caithness low crofter chair with unique features and idiosyncratic design features associated with this Northern tradition of crofter and wright chair making.
- McIvor & Allan (established c.1902 - 1955) were based in Castletown and produced exquisite and skilled examples of locally made wooden furniture and products with unique chip-carved designs that were of high quality and led to exports around the world linked with Caithness. They employed the chip carving technique, which had Indian / Arabic origins, which later became firmly established in Northern Europe and Scandinavia (as shown in some of our W&W Antiques Swedish Folk items). The chip carving technique gained significant popularity in the 19th century as a fashionable craze and was taken up by the leisured classes.
- The chair likely made from American oak throughout and produced as a low crofter chair in the inter-war craft revival years
- Five upright chip carved-spindle backs framed with chip carved cross splats
- Front legs, chip carving to the front and outer surfaces of the legs, seat rail outer and upper surfaces and extensive chip-carving to the uprights and curved top seat back. The front and rear legs are linked by simple chip-carved stretchers and the characteristic and idiosyncratic seat made of a single plank and three cross stretchers (for sock drying!), two to the front and one to the rear.
- The low crofter chair is in great solid antique condition with no evidence of worm or damage, just wear.
- Products were made to special order and this accounts for variation in chip carving as well as one-off designs, this chair is more profusely chip-carved and in good quality American Oak.
W&W Antiques remain huge advocates for Scottish vernacular furniture and in particular beautiful regionally produced chip-carved gems such as this. It also highlights the links to Scandinavian and Indian / Arabic decorative carving.
Ready for a new home for decorative utility for the next 100+ years.
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.
