Yorkshire compound-bent bow back Windsor armchair, with 6 long sticks, 4 short, turned underarms, turned legs, and H stretcher WS 219

Most people who visit this chair blog will know that I live in Lincolnshire, which accounts for all the chairs from that county on this site. However, I am fortunate to live very close to the Nottinghamshire border as well as being very close to Newark, which in turn means that it is so easy for me to visit the huge antique fair at the Newark showground several times every year. It has been a spectacular hunting ground for me in my search for vernacular furniture. Some of the dealers have got to recognise me and occasionally ask for my thoughts and advice on various pieces that they have brought along with them. Dave is one such dealer and I always make his pitch my first stop every time I visit the fair. He is from over the Humber Bridge in South Yorkshire and he kindly keeps interesting chairs in his van so that I can have first pick, which I really appreciate. 

Yorkshire compound-bent bow back Windsor armchair, with 6 long sticks, 4 short, turned underarms, turned legs through-mortised and wedged, with H stretcher WS 219

A couple of years ago he produced this chair from the back of his van and because it had its legs reduced in length and had been totally painted white, he said it was mine for a few pounds. I knew it was a Yorkshire Windsor chair and told him so, pointing out that it was worth more than he was asking for it. The rather bizarre negotiation then took place where I was talking the price up while he was happy with the first price that had been mentioned. In the end we met in the middle and we were both more than happy. 

It has the unique feature of the compound steam bent back bow, that is a hallmark of these Yorkshire Windsor chairs. Every component appears to be made from Ash wood with everything being contempory with its making and no replacement parts. If you look closely at the image, you will see that the legs are of differing designs - I have no doubt that it started life like this.

Legs through-mortised and wedged from above WS 219

Long sticks through back bow and wedged from above WS 219

Shortly afterwards, I took it along to Tim Garland in Lincoln to discuss the best way to do some sort of restoration work on it. Using stripper to clean off all the white paint was not an option so it was done the hard way - a little bit of scrapping at a time, so as to remove the white and leave as much as possible of its original green paint. Many thanks to Tim and his wife Vicky for doing such a fine job.

Before the paint was removed WS 219

Before the paint was removed WS 219

Underside of seat WS 219

© William Sergeant 2021

Yorkshire compound-bent bow back Windsor armchair, with 6 long sticks, 2 short, crook underarms, round seat, turned legs and H stretcher, painted green WS 218

Yorkshire compound-bent bow back Windsor armchair, with 6 long sticks, 2 short, crook underarms, round seat, turned legs and H stretcher, painted green WS 218

The retired dealer mentioned in WS 217 allowed me to record this green painted Windsor chair and told me that he had purchased it many years ago from a Sheffield auction house. He had seen others with their distinctive circular seat and believed that they were produced in Yorkshire. 

Side view WS 218

As is obvious from this picture, the back bow also has the compound bend mentioned in Bowett's RF 2004 article, which he points out is unique among British Windsor chairs. He goes on to say " The top bow is round in section and has a two-dimensional or compound curve; it is not only arched, as are all Windsor top bows, but it is also curved backwards. This gives the chair a barrel-shaped back which is amazingly comfortable, and suggests a sophistication of design which belies their often crude appearance."

An identical chair, again made out of ash wood, passed through the sale room of Summersgills in Easingwold (which is a few miles to the Northwest of York) in September 2017 but was simply described as a "Windsor chair". A third identical chair is located in a Museum in the City of York with the title of a local Windsor chair.

Arm terminal WS 218

Round seat, painted green WS 218 

© William Sergeant 2021

Vale of York compound-bent bow back armchair, with 7 long sticks, 8 short, turned underarms, turned front legs, plain back legs and H stretcher WS 217

Vale of York compound-bent bow back armchair, with 7 long sticks, 8 short, turned underarms, turned front legs, plain back legs and H stretcher  WS 217

A few years ago, I quite accidentally became acquainted with a retired antique dealer who lived in a fine Georgian town house in Grantham. I was fascinated by his tales of seeking out items of furniture in Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire and then often selling them on to the London trade during the 1960's & 70's. However, he had kept several choice items for his own house and he kindly allowed me to take some of them back to my photographic studio to record them. The image above is one chair from his small collection.

You will immediately see that I have taken the picture above from the side and I have done so for a very good reason: it clearly shows the compound bend in the steam bent back bow. There is no record of this technique being used by the Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire chairmakers but I knew exactly where it had been made as soon as I saw it: namely in the Vale of York. I knew this because I had read an article by Adam Bowett that appeared in the Regional Furniture 2004. 

Front view WS 217

The house in Grantham has now been sold along with its contents and I am just so pleased that I had the enormous pleasure of meeting this gentleman and also being able to record so many of his fine vernacular chairs. This one appears to have every component made from ash wood with the legs through morticed and wedged into the seat. The design is not the most elegant that I have ever seen but it does have huge amounts of rustic charm.

The photo details above show that these images were taken in September 2015 and why they have been on my computer hard drive for over 5 years without being published is hard to explain. It is a great example of true vernacular furniture, such a recognisable design and a tribute to the craftsmen of Yorkshire. Since I took this picture, I must have seen at least half a dozen being offered for sale, mainly through Yorkshire auction houses and not one has ever mentioned Bowett's article and their association with the county.

Short sticks through-mortised and wedged from above WS 217

Underarm turning WS 217

Front leg turning WS 217

© William Sergeant 2021

 

3 x Lincolnshire comb back Windsor side chairs with curved crest rail, turned stiles, 3-piercing fleur de lys and teardrop piercing splat, 4 long sticks, straight seat sides, 2 ring front leg turnings with vase-shaped feet, plain back leg turnings with vase feet, H stretcher WS 49

3 x Lincolnshire comb back Windsor side chairs with curved crest rail, 3-piercing fleur de lys and teardrop piercing splat, 4 long sticks, straight seat sides, 2 ring front leg turnings with vase-shaped feet, plain back leg turnings with vase feet, H stretcher WS 49

A set of three Lincolnshire comb back side chairs, probably made in Grantham or possibly Stamford. 

© William Sergeant 2011 and 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

Lincolnshire comb back side chair stamped Camm Grantham 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 90

Lincolnshire comb back side chair stamped Camm Grantham 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 90

Whilst visiting other peoples houses I have poor manners. I pay far too much attention to their furniture, particularly their chairs. On a previous visit to a house in the village of Navenby, I had spotted what looked like some Lincolnshire side chairs nestling under the kitchen table. On my most recent visit (2013) I was allowed closer inspection of the same and to my surprise and joy one of them was impressed with the maker's name : CAMM GRANTHAM. What a find! As far as I am aware there has been no record of a stamped comb back side chair by this maker although a quick search of Dr B D Cotton's The English Regional Chair (1990) shows a near identical chair stamped  J HILL (figures NE 104 and NE 105 on p. 134 ). Where is Navenby? It's north of Grantham on the road to Lincoln.

© William Sergeant 2013 and 2020

Medium bow back Windsor armchair stamped Camm Grantham, with 8 long spindles, 6 short, turned underarm supports, straight seat sides, ring and cove turned front legs with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher WS 95

Medium bow back Windsor armchair stamped Camm Grantham, with 8 long spindles, 6 short, turned underarm supports, straight seat sides, ring and cove turned front legs with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher WS 95

In the collection of Steven Voyt. Purchased in Grantham, this bow back spindle back Windsor armchair  probably has never travelled far, as it was made in Grantham. Two more chairs made by Camm can be seen at WS 12 and WS 13, the underarm supports and legs of which could be swapped with this chair and no one would spot the difference, which reinforces the fact that individual makers had their own design features and reproduced them over and over again.

© William Sergeant 2013 and 2020

Comb back Lincolnshire Windsor armchair probably Camm Grantham with curved crest rail, turned stiles, 8 long spindles 6 short, turned underarm supports, straight seat sides, ring & cove turned front legs with 1 lower ring, H stretcher WS 12

Comb back Lincolnshire Windsor armchair probably Camm Grantham with curved crest rail, turned stiles, 8 long spindles 6 short, turned underarm supports, straight seat sides, ring & cove turned front legs with 1 lower ring, H stretcher WS 12

An unstamped comb back Windsor armchair from Grantham, identical to this stamped chair by Thomas Camm of Grantham. I had missed the stamped one at the auction in Buckinghamshire but I had taken many pictures for my own records so when this little beauty turned up at a Cambridgeshire auction unstamped and unloved I was certain who made it. I compared individual turnings side by side on the computer - they could have been made the same week from the Grantham workshop of Thomas Camm. It came home with me for a very reasonable price!

© William Sergeant 2012 and 2020

Comb back Lincolnshire Windsor armchair stamped Camm Grantham with curved crest rail, turned stiles, 8 long spindles 6 short, turned underarm supports, straight seat sides, ring & cove turned front legs with 1 lower ring, H stretcher WS 13

Comb back Lincolnshire Windsor armchair stamped Camm Grantham with curved crest rail, turned stiles, 8 long spindles 6 short, turned underarm supports, straight seat sides, ring & cove turned front legs with 1 lower ring, H stretcher WS 13

A comb back Windsor chair, stamped on the seat edge: Camm Grantham. This identifies the maker's workshop as Thomas Camm of Grantham, working about 1825.  This one turned up in an evening auction in Buckinghamshire and I travelled down to view: it was from a house clearance and in excellent condition. When the auction got under way there were very few people in the room and the auctioneer struggled to get bids on anything. The moment arrived for this lot. My hopes were sky high and heart beating fast: I started the bidding at a low amount and outbid a couple in the room; it was going to be mine for a modest sum; then came the moment I was fearful of: an anonymous phone bidder. Well, dear reader, you can imagine what happened next: I continued bidding but every time the phone outbid me. I went way over my limit to several hundred pounds but in the end I let it go. What disappointment! After that the auctioneer stopped the auction and asked me "What was that all about?" I explained that the chair really was the essence of Lincolnshire chairmaking and design, stamped by a maker who did not work for long in Grantham. He told me that the person on the phone was a London dealer who was known to him but had never shown an interest in chairs before. Well, he certainly had to pay a lot of money for it and good luck to him.

William Sergeant 2011 and 2020

Lincolnshire hoop back Windsor side chair stamped Camm Grantham with 6 long spindles, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher WS 99 & WS 98

Lincolnshire hoop back Windsor side chair stamped Camm Grantham with 6 long spindles, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher WS 99

Lincolnshire hoop back Windsor side chair stamped Camm Grantham  WS 98

This is a exquisitely charming Grantham side chair of such dainty proportions. The way I got this chair really underlines how generous some people are: read on. This chair was advertised as a child's chair signed by CAMM by an auction house in Derbyshire.  I initially missed it in the net but a good friend kindly emailed me with the details. I realised that it was an previously unrecorded spindle back side chair from Thomas Camm of Grantham and would fit nicely in my collection. 

However, when the day came for the auction, the weather forecast was not good and even though I set off for the Peak District it soon became obvious that, with the snow, it was not sensible to carry on and I reluctantly turned back. When I got home it had been sold and for not very much: you can imagine my disappointment! 

At the beginning of the following week I contacted the auctioneers and asked then to pass my details on to the purchaser as I wished to at least try and record this chair for the benefit of all.  Just imagine my surprise when later in the day I got a phone call from Tracey in Burton saying that she had the chair and had viewed my website and was happy for me to collect it. What a treasure: both the chair and Tracey ! I travelled to Burton the following week and had pleasure of meeting Tracey.  I also took Dr B D Cotton's The English Regional Chair (1990) along and was able to identify the maker of a yew Windsor chair she also had. The little Camm chair exceeded all expectation and had obviously come from a very good home: I settled up and returned home really happy.

Many thanks to Euan for flagging up this chair; many thanks to Hansons Auctioneers for passing along my details and finally my heart felt appreciation to Tracey for her kindness. I don't usually include makers stamps on this site (so when I say a chair is signed you will just have to trust me that it is) but this is slightly unusual.  All the chairs that I have seen signed by Camm have the word Grantham below. There are several examples in The English Regional Chair (1990). This one is different in that the words are side by side which shows that he had one stamp for each word. OK, I know it's not an earth-shattering revelation but it all adds to the knowledge of their workshop practice.

© William Sergeant 2013 and 2020

Lincolnshire comb back Windsor side chair stamped CAMM GRANTHAM with turned stiles, 6 long spindles, straight seat sides, ball turning and thin cove front legs, plain back legs, H stretcher WS 94

Lincolnshire comb back Windsor side chair with turned stiles, 6 long spindles, straight seat sides, ball turning and thin cove front legs, plain back legs, H stretcher WS 94

From a private collection. The story behind this chair is that it was rescued from a skip, with a split seat and a broken stile (outer back support). It has been skillfully repaired and a replacement turned back support made. This stamped Grantham chair was way too good to be discarded and has now been recorded for all to enjoy and for academic research. Stamped with a bold impression on the seat edge: CAMM GRANTHAM.

© William Sergeant 2013

2 x Lincolnshire and a Beverley Windsor side chair, with curved crest rails, turned stiles, 6 , 7 and 5 long spindles, straight seat sides, ring and cove front legs with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretchers, 2 with darts WS 124

2 x Lincolnshire and a Beverley Windsor side chair, with curved crest rails, turned stiles, 6 , 7 and 5 long spindles, straight seat sides, ring and cove front legs with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretchers, 2 with darts WS 124

Take a good look at the three chairs above. Many of you will recognise the right-hand chair as a splendidly crafted chair from Sleaford and stamped by Marsh, with 5 spindles across the back. The left-hand unstamped chair is of a similar date and is what you may expect to have been made in Grantham, with 6 spindles across the back. Now study the middle chair: it is such a mystery!

I happened across this chair at the Newark Antique fair at the beginning of April 2014. From a distance it was instantly recognisable as a Lincolnshire side chair but on closer inspection there were many aspects that I had not seen before. The row of 7 spindles was a first for me and the design turnery of the two outside spindles (stiles) is quite different from anything previously recorded . The elm seat is wider and deeper than the standard small seat you would expect and although the chair had been well used it is quite evident it was made by a very competent workshop. It appears to have been reduced in height in the past (hence the ramekin plinths!) and the seat has twisted to give a slightly distorted appearance.

I quizzed the dealer as to the history of this chair and was told that it came from a house clearance in Beverley, Yorkshire, East Riding. It was then that I remembered that I had spoken to the same person last year when he had 3 other chairs of the same design. Foolishly I had not photographed them and he told me they had been purchased by an American dealer, so there is little chance of ever seeing those again. I secured the purchase of this single chair so I could record it here, calling it a Beverley chair for want of a better name or until I discover who made it. The dealer also told me that he had had other similar chairs through his business in the past . Any other information on this design would be welcome: it may well be that there is a previously unrecorded maker from the East Riding of Yorkshire who was responsible for these lookalike Lincolnshire side chairs.

© William Sergeant 2014 and 2020

Medium bow back Lincolnshire Windsor armchair stamped MARSH of Sleaford with 9 long spindles, 6 short, crook underarms, bell-shaped seat, ring and cove front legs with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher WS 105

Medium bow back Lincolnshire Windsor armchair stamped MARSH of Sleaford with 9 long spindles, 6 short, crook underarms, bell-shaped seat, ring and cove front legs with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher WS 105

Many thanks to Michael Pashby Antiques in New York City for providing this wonderful image from his stock . It was available along with 9 side chairs by the same maker - all signed. The crook underarm support is the first I have ever seen by this father and son pair of makers - it probably was made by the father (Thomas) and fully deserves to be recorded here. See WS 101 & WS 29 for chairs by the same maker.

© William Sergeant 2013 and 2020

Lincolnshire Windsor Grecian scroll back bar back side chair stamped SHIRLEY WS 72 and 71

Lincolnshire Windsor Grecian scroll back bar back side chair stamped SHIRLEY WS 71

Lincolnshire Windsor Grecian scroll back bar back side chair stamped SHIRLEY WS 72 

Stamped by the maker William Shirley of Caistor, this bar back simple kitchen chair has distinctive leg turnings. There is a simple line drawing of a similar side chair in John Shadford's notebook (the 10th image down this webpage) with the word 'Grecian' and the price 2/6 written beneath.  This type of chair is more commonly described as a 'scroll back'. From a private collection.

© William Sergeant 2012 and 2020

Lincolnshire Windsor side chair with notched crest rail, turned stiles, 5 long spindles, bell-shaped seat, 2 ring legs with vase-shaped feet x 4, H stretcher WS 64

Lincolnshire Windsor side chair with notched crest rail WS 64

I have never seen a chair of this design before and as far as I can tell neither has anyone else! However, there is a simple line drawing of a similar side chair in John Shadford's notebook (the 10th image down this webpage) with the words 'Stool chair' and the price 2/6 written beneath. Could this chair have possibly been made in Caistor? Those turned back supports and that so distinctively notched crest rail certainly point in that direction. I found this chair at the Newark Antique fair and the dealer that I bought it off thought it was from Lincolnshire as well, but had not guessed the Caistor connection. One thing that is slightly unusual is that I am convinced that the seat is made out of ash.

© William Sergeant 2012 and 2020

Lincolnshire Caistor lath back high back Windsor armchair with curved crest rail, 5 laths, turned stiles, turned underarm supports morticed into saucer arms, straight seat sides, 3 ring leg turnings with vase-shaped feet H stretcher WS 30

Lincolnshire Caistor lath back high back Windsor armchair WS 30

This is just a wonderfully designed and made chair - I sit on it every day to have my meals. I bought this one several years ago from an antique shop in Coningsby (now closed) because of the similarities with the Caistor chair: compare this chair with WS 28 and WS 31. The similarities in the turnings run across all three chairs in slightly different combinations: I think you will agree that they all came from Caistor.

© William Sergeant 2012 and 2020

Nottinghamshire bow back Windsor side chair stamped Nicholson Rockley with 6 long spindles, bell-shaped seat with fantail and 2 spindles at an angle, with ring and cove leg turnings with 1 lower ring x 4 WS 118

Nottinghamshire bow back Windsor side chair stamped Nicholson Rockley with 6 long spindles, bell-shaped seat with fantail and 2 spindles at an angle, with ring and cove leg turnings with 1 lower ring x 4 WS 118

The wonderful thing about collecting chairs is finding something special! I remember having a conversation with a dealer about memorizing the designs of chairs in Dr B D Cotton's The English Regional Chair (1990) and then searching for something out of the ordinary.  He was very dismissive and likened me to a train spotter for ticking off the pictures. He completely missed the point: the fun of the search! Anyway, I know this is not a Lincolnshire chair but its very existence is worth recording here because if you look in Cotton's book there are many pictures of the superb Windsor chairs that were made in Rockley, in Nottinghamshire, but there is no mention or picture of a side chair. They were thought not to exist. Well feast your eyes on this: the ironic thing is that this chair spent several years in an antique shop in Newark and I must have walked past it many times. There was nothing about it to suggest to me that it was a local chair and I never even stopped to inspect it. Side chairs with a fantail seat and 2 angled spindles joined into the hoop are a standard design in the Thames Valley and, as far as I am aware, this is the only East Midlands side chair featuring this design and construction method. 

Only when a fellow collector told me that it was stamped with the maker's name did I inspect it closely. 

Nottinghamshire bow back Windsor side chair stamped Nicholson Rockley  WS 117

Imagine my surprise when I saw Nicholson Rockley. Because it had been unsold for so long I think the shop owner was really pleased to let me have it at a very much reduced rate. The lesson for me and anyone else reading this is simple: never ever walk past a chair without inspecting it thoroughly for signs of who made it.

PS there is one other armchair from Lincolnshire recorded with a fantail and 2 angled spindles which will be posted tomorrow (update: now to be found here).

© William Sergeant 2020

Lincolnshire comb back Windsor side chair, probably John Wilson, with curved crest rail, turned stiles, 6 long spindles, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher WS 119

Lincolnshire comb back Windsor side chair, probably John Wilson, with curved crest rail, turned stiles, 6 long spindles, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher WS 119

I happened across the middle of these three chairs in a local shop and while the dealer had correctly identified it as a Grantham side chair, there was no mention of the maker. However, although there was no maker's stamp or mark on it, I was sure it was by one of two Grantham makers. I took it along to fellow collector Brian Gray to compare it with his signed chairs: the one on the left is stamped Wilson and the right hand one stamped Taylor. We were left in no doubt that the similarity to the Wilson chair won the day. This is Lincolnshire vernacular furniture at its best!

© William Sergeant 2020

Lincolnshire hoop back Windsor side chair, stamped TAYLOR GRANTHAM, with 4 long spindles, splat with vase and teardrop piercing, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings with lower ring, plain back legs and H stretcher WS 81

Lincolnshire hoop back Windsor side chair, stamped TAYLOR GRANTHAM, with 4 long spindles, splat with vase and teardrop piercing, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings with lower ring, plain back legs and H stretcher WS 81

A well-balanced Lincolnshire Windsor side chair from the collection of Brian Gray. This a good quality splat back side chair with a bold stamp of Taylor of Grantham on the upper rear of the seat. A beautifully crafted chair, elegantly designed and well made. Pre 1809.

© William Sergeant 2020

Unusual Lincolnshire scroll back Windsor armchair stamped Taylor, bar back, pierced cross rail, turned lower rail, straight seat sides, ring & cove front leg turnings with lower ring, plain back, H stretcher, shaped underarms, sawn and scrolled back uprights WS 82

Unusual Lincolnshire scroll back Windsor armchair stamped Taylor, bar back, pierced cross rail, turned lower rail, straight seat sides, ring & cove front leg turnings with lower ring, plain back, H stretcher, shaped underarms, sawn and scrolled back uprights WS 82

Windsor armchair signed TAYLOR GRANTHAM from the fine collection of Brian Gray. This an enigma as it has many features that you would not associate with an East Midlands chair. This is the only chair of this pattern that has ever been recorded and is unusual for two reasons. Firstly, it has very few turned components: more like a chair that a cabinet maker would produce, and secondly the design is what I would expect to be produced in the Thames Valley region. It demonstrates that there are probably other design of chairs that were produced by the Lincolnshire chair makers and as yet undiscovered and unrecorded.

© William Sergeant 2015 and 2019