Unstamped low bow back Lincolnshire Windsor armchair possibly by Thomas Simpson of Boston with 9 long spindles, 8 short, crook underarm supports, bell-shaped seat, ring and cove front leg turnings with lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher with dart turning

WS 168 low bow back Windsor armchair possibly by Thomas Simpson of Boston 

I had seen this chair in Newark and on inspection I found there was no makers stamp but I was taken by its unusual form of having a low backbow. Even though I had not seen this design before I decided to leave it. On revisiting the shop several months later it was still there so I was able to negotiate a good deal and it joined my collection. I saw it as a challenge to see if I could work out who had made it. A thorough examination showed facets running along the length of the long spindles indicating that they had been made with a draw knife. I was even more intrigued to find out who the chairmaker was . Another feature was the fact that the two outside long spindles were secured in place by pins that had been driven right through the backbow and were visible from the front and back . This is a rare constructional technique as most makers only leave the pins showing at the back. 

A good indication of the maker is the dimensions of the seat as they used their own template over many years; on measuring this one and comparing the result with all the signed chairs that I have, only two came close . One of these had pins only showing from the back but the other had pins visible from both sides; could that maker have made this one as well? It was a chair that I have had for several years (WS 123) and while I was handling it I noticed for the first time that it too had short spindles shaped with a draw knife, not turned on a lathe. By closing my eyes and using my fingers to feel, the facets running up the spindles were obvious. These chairs surely had to have been made by the same maker. And the name of that maker is T SIMPSON of BOSTON . The only other chair by this maker that I have photographed but was not allowed to touch is in the  V&A and if you read the description of that chair it mentions that components of that chair were made with a draw knife as well. For more details on this maker then please read my notes on WS 123 - there were in fact 3 of them - Grandfather, father and son.

© William Sergeant 2018 and 2020