Lincolnshire comb back armchair by Marsh Sleaford, with curved crest rail, with 8 long spindles, the outer of which are turned stiles above the arm bow, which is chamfered at its ends, 6 short spindles, turned underarms, straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts WS 208

Lincolnshire comb back armchair by Marsh Sleaford, with curved crest rail, with 8 long spindles, the outer of which are turned stiles above the arm bow, which is chamfered at its ends, 6 short spindles, turned underarms straight seat sides, ring and cove front leg turnings with 1 lower ring, plain back legs, H stretcher with darts WS 208

This comb back Lincolnshire armchair is from the wonderful collection of former Regional Furniture Society member, James Drake. I was delighted when he said that I could include it here, as it's so important and you all will be able to appreciate it. It has an impressed name stamp towards the rear of the upper surface of the seat which reads MARSH, so from the workshop of father and son, Thomas and James Marsh of Sleaford. The legs and underarm turned supports are typical of their patterns but the chair is of overall compact proportions, the like of which I have never seen before. The particular pleasing feature are the two outside long back support spindles (stiles), which start at the seat level and pass through the armbow the continue with the decorative turning up to the back comb, an elegant touch. This could easily become my favorite Lincolnshire armchair.

© William Sergeant 2019

Lincolnshire high back bow back Windsor armchair stamped SHIRLEY with 3 piercing fleur de lys upper splat and keyhole piercing lower splat, 6 long spindles, 6 short, turned underarm supports, straight seat sides, 3 ring leg turnings with 1 lower ring x 4 H stretcher with bobbin and 2 rings WS 73 & WS 74

Lincolnshire high back bow back Windsor armchair stamped SHIRLEY WS 74

Lincolnshire high back bow back Windsor armchair stamped SHIRLEY WS 73

This chair came out of a house in Nettleton, near Caistor and has a stamp of Shirley. Two things of note about this chair; firstly the underarm supports, the design of which is seen on chairs associated with northeast Lincolnsire and south Yorkshire that makes me believe that they were all made in the chair factory owned by Shirley; secondly the design of the cross stretcher uniting the legs which also seen on some spindle back chairs attributed to John Shadford, which is not surprising as they worked together for a long time. Compare the underarm supports to chairs WS 30 & WS 31. A very similar stamped Shirley chair was Exhibit No 28 at the Alford Manor Exhibition in 2019 and appears here. 

© William Sergeant 2012 and 2020

20

Windsor armchair, unsigned.

28

Windsor arm chair with the stamp of SHIRLEY. Undoubtedly by William Shirley of Caistor, made in some quantity during the mid 1800’s, though stamped examples are very rare.