Antique hand crafted chair, folk art ?

[greenacres]

This chair was rescued, lol. It's needs "TLC". Right now it's in a vise with wood glue. I think it's hand made. My husband agrees. If you look closely the top of the back of the chair is not level. I want to hear your opinion and how would you value this?

[mart]

Could be that this was a novice cabinetmaker and was learning !! It seems to not be completed !!  The center rail looks odd !! I think something else should have been added and wasn`t !!

[greenacres]

In it's own way it looks amish. What date would you put this at? Does it have any value at all?

[mart]

Similar to the other as far as time period !! Value,, very little !!

[Rauville]

What's with those bottom rungs that angle up towards the seat? Are they connected to the seat frame?

[greenacres]

Yes!

[ghopper1924]

Definitely folk or novice work.  I'd say, judging from the incised work on the top rail that it's ca. 1890-1900. The clumsiness of the work could add or detract, depending on your sympathy to folk forms.

I'd say you'd get about $50.00 or so out of it if it were restored, but it may be worth more to you on an aesthetic level to have it recaned and used as a functional conversation piece.

[cogar]

I think that is a good chair simply because of those 2 per say “torsion rungs” to keep the lateral rungs in the legs from coming “unglued”.

I love things that are unique or different and I’ve never seen a chair made that way.

[greenacres]

Me niether. How would you restore the seat?

[cogar]

How would I do it?

Actually, I, myself, wouldn't.

Even though I still have the book I purchased on "Chair Caning", .... my RA has rendered my fingers barely able to "hunt & peck" on this keyboard so aligning, pulling n' tugging on caning is out of the question.

If you do it, since you said you glued it already, I suggest washing it using Murphy’s Oil Soap and then apply a liberal coating of the “clear” Old English Furniture Polish, wiping/rubbing the excess off after 5 min or so, and order one of those pressed fiber “seat bottoms” and “tack it” down in the spaces between the caning “holes”. That way if you ever decide to “cane it” the caning will cover the holes made by the tacks.

[greenacres]

That's a great idea. I really want to keep this chair. I showed it to mt daughter this morning and she thought maybe it was to be designed uneven. Could be?

[mart]

I have never seen one that was designed uneven in that form,, but you never know !!  Like I said on the other chair,, you might try hand caning !! Its an experience you will not forget !!  Its a real pain in the ascot !!

[greenacres]

It will be a good education that's for sure! I'll pick a time when I have some patience, lol

[greenacres]

I was hoping Rauville would give more info.

[frogpatch]

It looks as if someone tried to create a chair from parts of two or more chairs by slapping things together We used to have a not so nice term for these which is the same as freedom of choice. it is made from 19th c parts