Lincolnshire low bow back Windsor armchair with 3 x quatrefoil pierced splat, 6 long spindles, 8 short, crook underarm supports, straight seat sides, ring and cove front legs, plain back legs, crinoline stretcher WS 113

Lincolnshire low bow back Windsor armchair with 3 x quatrefoil pierced splat, 6 long spindles, 8 short, crook underarm supports, straight seat sides, ring and cove front legs, plain back legs, crinoline stretcher WS 113

This chair was brought to a talk that I gave about chairmaking in Caistor by a local resident. It was in excellent original condition, just in need of a good dust and wax. The seat is of elm and the rest of yew except for the two back legs which were ash. The ring and cove front leg turnings and plain back legs would point towards it being made in Lincolnshire and the shape of the seat is typical of Grantham. The crinoline stretcher and the crook underarm supports suggest a date of of early 1800s. The quatrefoil piercings on the splat are similar to chairs shown in Dr B D Cotton's The English Regional Chair (1990) at Plate 12 on p. 110 made by John Amos and William Taylor of Westgate, Grantham at figure NE 28 on p. 118.

I am sorry about the carpet but it was the best I could do in Caistor Town Hall. Just take a moment to study this chair as it is probably nearly 200 years old and of a type that rarely appears on the market.

Further chairs with quatrefoil pierced splats may be seen in yesterday's post, WS 184 and also this post. 

© William Sergeant 2013 and 2020

Lincolnshire hoop back side chair stamped WILSON GRANTHAM with 3 x quatrefoil pierced splat, 6 long spindles, straight seat sides, 4 x ring and cove leg turnings with lower ring, crinoline stretcher, WS 184

Lincolnshire hoop back side chair stamped WILSON GRANTHAM with 3 x quatrefoil pierced splat, 6 long spindles, straight seat sides, 4 x ring and cove leg turnings with lower ring, crinoline stretcher, WS 184

Vernacular furniture is sometimes  referred to, in a slightly disparaging way, as 'country furniture' which carries with it the implication that is not of such good quality or design. When I find chairs like this one pictured above, made probably 200 years ago, I marvel at the superb quality of craftsmanship of these Lincolnshire county makers. My research has been unable to reveal who actually made this chair, whether it was John Wilson himself or a journeyman that was employed in his workshop, but the quality of balanced design along with beautifully executed turnery to the legs just shows what excellent work was being produced.

I had come across this maker at least ten years ago while doing research in to the Grantham chairmakers but he was described as a chairmaker of Little Gonerby and it was unclear as to exactly what type of chairs he was making.  So I was delighted when an auctioneer in the south of the county contacted me to say that a set of 4 side chairs with the stamp of WILSON GRANTHAM had been consigned to his sale. I accordingly secured the chairs as they make a valuable contribution to my museum as well as a graceful addition to my front room.

The seats of all the chairs are made from ash wood while all other components are of yew. I get the impression that the turners liked to use yew as its incredibily tight grain means that wonderful detail can shown in their execution of the leg turnings. That's why the best chairs were made from yew and today command the highest prices.

© William Sergeant 2020

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Windsor side chair, signed WILSON GRANTHAM, so turned out by John Wilson of Little Gonerby. A hoop back design with a pierced splat made out of yew wood. Chairs by this maker are rare.