A pair of Lincolnshire rush-seated ladder back side chairs: straight back uprights with tapered feet & flattened top finials; 4 ladders with lower indented shaping; turned front legs with pad feet morticed into the seat frame, with rushing bars; front stretcher with turnery often found in Lincolnshire, double side & rear stretchers

Lincolnshire rush-seated ladder back side chairs WS 59

Pictured above is one of a pair of rush seated chairs that I purchased at the Newark Antique Fair during August 2012. I have no doubt that they were made in Lincolnshire; they have all the features that I would expect: straight back legs, mainly made of ash wood, a flat seat with the rushing bars let into the side of the legs and the distinctive turned front stretcher that is used by so many Lincolnshire makers. There is no name stamp but this model is the most common of all the rush seated chairs that I find associated with the county. It even has the pieces of wood (called slips) to protect the rushing where it folds over the rushing bars. It has the appearance of being made during the mid Victorian period. It is not uncommon to find them in the south of the county and this leaves me in no doubt that they were produced by the Spikins family in Boston and Spalding.

Pair of Lincolnshire rush-seated ladder back side chairs WS 59b

These common rush-seated chairs are compared with two others at No 196.