Lincolnshire Windsor hoop back side chair, with 6 long spindles, straight seat sides, ring and cove turned front legs, plain back legs and H stretcher

Lincolnshire Windsor side chair, Grantham WS 88

A little gem of a chair with a very unusual feature. Although it is unsigned it has all the characteristics that you would associate with a Grantham chair. The seat is made of elm and the rest is ash; but just study those front legs for a moment. They are crisply crafted by an experienced turner but on close inspection they are most definitely not made out of ash. They look remarkably like yew wood but there many woodworm holes: one of yew wood's features is that it is never attacked by them so that rules yew wood out. The only wood that I think it can be is birch and if so this is (was at that time - ed.) the first time I have ever seen it used in a Windsor or kitchen chair. If you have ever seen it used before then please let me know. A further note on the use of birch  was in yesterday's post about WS 60.

© William Sergeant 2020