Bobbin turned side chair - WS229

 

Bobbin-turned side chair, possibly Dutch - WS229

Quite fortuitously I happen to be in Grantham in the middle of January of 2023 and decided to call at Goldings, the Grantham auctioneers, even though it was not a day designated for viewing. I asked if it was possible to view the furniture for the forthcoming sale and luckily my wish was granted. The chair pictured above immediately caught my attention and a few days later, after a bidding battle during the auction, I was delighted to purchase it. 

There is absolutely nothing that I would associate with Lincolnshire incorporated into this chair, indeed I cannot remember seeing another remotely like it before. I had been instantly struck by the amount of work that had gone into its production: the wood used was either cherry or some other fruitwood. Every component was contemporary, though there were two metal brackets to help support the seat rails where they met the back legs. In terms of dating the chair, my initial impression was mid-18th century. The finials at the top of the back legs pointed towards Holland and the Low Countries as chairs made there almost invariably have this feature. However, more research needs to be done to establish its origin.

© William Sergeant 2023