Lincolnshire rush-seated ladder back side chair, with plain stay rail attached to button finials of straight backpoles, 3 ladders, missing rushing bars, front stretcher with turnery commonly found in Lincolnshire, turned front legs morticed into the seat frame, with double side and rear stretchers

Lincolnshire rush-seated ladder back side chair, with plain stay rail attached to button finials of straight backpoles, 3 ladders, missing rushing bars, front stretcher with turnery commonly found in Lincolnshire, turned front legs morticed into the seat frame, with double side and rear stretchers WS 34

This an excellent example of a simple well made rush seated ladder back chair made out of ash (with rerushed seat). Vernacular furniture at its very best, probably made by the Ashton/Green families of the Spilsby, Alford, Louth area. This unloved chair appeared at a local auction house and was lotted with other house clearance bits which I got for a pittance - it should have been acquired by the local museum which is only a few streets away from where it was sold. The town where I bought it: Louth.

© William Sergeant 2012

Lincolnshire rush-seated ladder back side chair, straight back uprights with tapering feet terminating in a plain narrow stay rail with 4 plain domed ladders, straight front legs with reduced pad feet morticed into the seat frame, front stretcher with turnery often found in Lincolnshire, double rear and side stretchers

WS 37 Lincolnshire rush-seated ladder back side chair

Lincolnshire rush seated chairs are usually made to the most utilitarian design, just one step up from a stool but take a close look at these front legs: the person who turned them was skilled in design and manufacture; the rings, coves and quirks are crisply executed with the pad feet expertly made. Local vernacular furniture with more than a hint of sophistication.

There is similarity in the construction marks on this chair to WS 87, WS 70, WS 54 and WS 52.

©William Sergeant 2019

Bar top Lincolnshire rush-seated side chair, straight back uprights with tapering feet terminating in a plain narrow stay rail with 4 plain domed ladders, straight front legs with reduced pad feet morticed into the seat frame, front stretcher with turnery often found in Lincolnshire, double rear and side stretchers

WS 70 Bar top Lincolnshire rush-seated ladder back side chair

Another chair from the collection of John Boden, in lovely condition and very similar to chair NE211 on p.158 of Dr B D Cotton's The English Regional Chair (1990). One of a dining set of 4 side chairs and 2 carvers. The front stretcher is closer in design to chair WS 42 than any of the other Lincolnshire chairs.  There is a similarity in construction marks to WS 87, WS 54, WS 52 and WS 37.

©William Sergeant 2019