Medium bow back Lincolnshire Windsor armchair stamped TAYLOR GRANTHAM, turned underarm supports, 8 long spindles, 2 x 3 underarm spindles, ring and cove front leg turnings with single lower ring & plain back legs, H stretcher with cross stretcher turned with darts WS 85

Medium bow back Lincolnshire Windsor armchair stamped TAYLOR GRANTHAM, turned underarm supports, 9 long spindles, 2 x 4 underarm spindles, ring and cove front leg turnings with single lower ring & plain back legs, H stretcher with cross stretcher turned with darts WS 85

I happen to find this one at the Newark Antiques Fair and I was convinced it was made by Marsh of Sleaford but on close inspection there is a faint stamp on the rear of the seat which says TAYLOR GRANTHAM. Fortunately no one had noticed this maker's mark and it joined my collection for a very small fee. The underarm turnings are so similar to Marsh of Sleaford that only when they are stood next to each other can you spot the differences. Compare this chair with WS 29 and you will see what I mean.

Other differences are that Taylor has 8 long spindles and 6 short, whereas Marsh uses 9 long and 8 short; Marsh puts a slight chamfer on the underside of the end of the arm bow, absent from the Taylor chair. The ring on the front legs of the Taylor chair is slightly deeper than that on the Marsh.

© William Sergeant 2018 and Julian Parker 2020 

Lincolnshire comb back rocking side chair with turned stiles, 6 long spindles, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher WS 93

Lincolnshire comb back side rocking side chair WS 93

From the collection of Steven Voyt. This the first Lincolnshire side chair on rockers that I have ever seen. On close inspection it appears to be all original and genuine. Although it is unstamped,  just compare the turned back supports with WS 90, which is stamped Camm Grantham.  I think the two chairs are near enough identical to say that they were made in the same workshop. The major difference between the two is in the front leg design: while this one has two rings WS 90 has a ring and a cove; this would indicate a subtle change with time: the two ring design being recognised as coming later than the ring and cove.

© William Sergeant 2013 and 2020

Unstamped comb back Lincolnshire Windsor armchair; curved cresting rail with turned stiles morticed into the arm bow, turned underarm supports, 7 long spindles, 2 x 3 underarm spindles, 2 ring front leg turning with vase-shaped feet & plain back legs with vase-shaped feet, H stretcher

WS 138 Lincolnshire comb back

Probably by a Grantham maker.

© William Sergeant 2019

James Marsh, Sleaford: stamped medium bow back Lincolnshire Windsor armchair, turned underarm supports, 9 long spindles, 2 x 4 underarm spindles, ring and cove front leg turnings with single lower ring & plain back legs, H stretcher with cross stretcher turned with darts

WS 29 Marsh Sleaford

Found this one recently (May 2016) in a local antique centre and I knew immediately that it was a Lincolnshire chair - on closer inspection it became apparent that it was in excellent condition with no play in any joints and little wear for its age. The seat was covered by a red velvet fitted cushion and when I removed it there appeared a dirty mark at the rear of the seat; I rubbed the mark and I then could see letters appearing which spelled: MARSH SLEA.... No one had noticed this so I quickly negotiated the purchase and hurried out the door with it. A little research revealed it to be made by James Marsh of Sleaford. A little bit of history on James Marsh for you: he was baptised James Thompson Marsh in Nottingham in 1803. His parents were Thomas Marsh (from Nottingham) a Windsor chair maker, and Ellen Thompson of Londonthorpe (which is just outside Grantham) and they were married at St Wulfram's, Grantham in 1802. At the time of their wedding they were recorded as living at Little Gonerby (which was a tiny collection of houses on the very edge of Grantham, where the chair maker John Amos lived as well) not to be confused with Great Gonerby or Gonerby Hill Foot. Their wedding was witnessed by Richard and Elizabeth Hubbard  (signed chairs from Hubbard can be seen in Cotton's book) It's hardly surprising that he grew up to be a chair maker.  Compare with No 91.

© William Sergeant 2019

George Wilson, Grantham: stamped comb back Lincolnshire Windsor armchair with 3-piercing stylised fleur de lys upper splat, single pierced lower splat, curved cresting rail with turned stiles morticed into the arm bow, turned underarm supports, 2 x 3 long spindles, 2 x 3 underarm spindles, 2 top ring & 1 lower ring front leg turnings & plain back legs, H stretcher

WS 136 G Wilson Grantham

Excellent comb back Grantham chair made from ash including the seat. This one is in the collection of Brian Gray - these comb back chairs are difficult to find and appear to have been made only in Lincolnshire. The only other chairs signed by their makers are Camm and Marsh.

© William Sergeant 2019

18

Windsor armchair with comb back support, signed G WILSON GRANTHAM.

25

Windsor armchair - signed MARSH SLEAFORD, so made in the workshop of Thomas Marsh, or by his son James, between 1810 - 1860 in the town of Sleaford. All components made of ash wood.