Lincolnshire comb back Windsor armchair, with curved crest rail, turned stiles, 7 long spindles, 8 shirt, turned underarms, bell-shaped seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher with 6 bobbin turning WS 101

Lincolnshire comb back Windsor armchair, probably by Marsh of Sleaford WS 101

The Marsh that got away. This lovely chair was offered at auction in the autumn of 2012 just to the south of London. I was not able to view but was happy to bid on the picture alone. A signed chair by Marsh of Sleaford appears at figure NE133 on p. 135 of Dr B D Cotton's The English Regional Chair (1990) and I was sure that this was by the same maker; the row of turned bobbins on the cross stretcher and the underarm turnings are a hallmark of this maker. Unfortunately I ended up as the underbidder!

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