High back Lincolnshire Caistor chair with curved notched crest rail, turned stiles, 7 spindles both above and below the cross rail with bobbin and ring turnings, scroll arms, turned underarm supports with 4 short spindles, straight seat sides, 2 ring legs with vase feet, H stretcher with 4 bobbin turning WS 28

High back Lincolnshire Caistor chair with curved notched crest rail WS 28

Probably the most easily recognised of all Lincolnshire-made chairs: this one is often referred to as a Caistor Chair as it was made by John Shadford of Caistor. The most remarkable thing about him was that he was born deaf, but it did not stop him setting up his own business in his late twenties and producing these chairs. I have seen a good number of them, usual as rockers or short legged variety, but this one is of standard seat height. You will have noted all the distinctive spindle turnings at the back: these would have taken longer to make than the conventional bow back windsors but there is no steam bending involved. There is an inherent weakness in these chairs though: where the armrest meets the back turned stile is only glued and they do have a tendency to come loose. John Shadford was apprenticed to William Shirley junior who had learnt chairmaking skills from his father (William Shirley senior) in Grantham.

© William Sergeant 2012 and 2020