Bentwood Style Rocking Chair

[mrobbins]

So I found this neat rocking chair on the side of the road yesterday! I tried to do some research and it looks like this is a bentwood style chair. The scroll on the side is a different from a lot of the chairs I’ve found online. I can’t find any kind of manufacturer stamp either. The screws appear to be handmade and there is a little sticker on the bottom that reads “1200”. My question is can anyone age this piece for me? From what I’ve read, Original Bentwood chairs were made beginning in the mid 1800s but there were many other copies created after. Any help is appreciated!

[mrobbins]

More photos

[mrobbins]

More photos

[ghopper1924]

It does look unusual for the type; not the usual 70s-80s version. With the flathead screws and the overall look, I'm going to say early 20th century.  Value? I've never seen one quite like it, but I'll say restored it would be $100-$200. So the price you paid was definitely a bargain.

Super nice score!!

[mart]

I do not see anything those screws are securing !!  Where are they located ??  Look like modern just misused !!

[SophieMarie]

Your chair is an Edwardian Bentwood Rocking Chair (1900's).

http://www.antiques-atlas.com/antique/edwardian_bentwood_rocking_chair/as315a040

[cogar]

The caning looks quite new to me, therefore it was either recently re-caned or a “new” piece, circa post-1970s.

I don’t see any reason for the two screws ….. unless there was a “split” in the wood and the screws were the “repair” solution.  And what that wire staple is doing there I wouldn’t have a clue ….. unless it had a “tag” of some sort stapled to it.

[ghopper1924]

Yep, Edwardian ca. 1910-1920. It's probably been re-caned more than once in the past 90-100 years. Good one SophieMarie! 

[mrobbins]

The screws shown are on the bottom of the rockers and are attached to the “scrolls” on the sides. I’m not sure about the staple either. The caning is a little torn on the seat so I will probably need to have it redone again.
Thank you so much everyone!

[jacon4]

The caning is a little torn on the seat so I will probably need to have it redone again.

Yeah and, the recaning will cost more than chair is worth but that's OK in my view. Nice chair!

[cogar]

A “do-it-yourself” caning job is not that expensive …… but is considerable “time consuming” if pre-woven caning is not used.

If the current caning is the pre-woven type and was installed via use of a “spline” ….. then a refurbishing with new pre-woven cane could be a “fun” Saturday afternoon job.    

But iffen the seat and back are “hand-woven” cane, ….. which is quickly distinguished by 1/8” holes that are drilled all around the “inside” perimeter of the seat and back with the caning material threaded thru said holes …….. then all of that material has to be cut out …… and then re-woven.

Iffen you are a “quick” amateur caner ….. it probably won’t take more than a month-of-Saturdays to finish the job.

But there is an easier way to refurbish it if it hand woven. Find someone with a router ….. and have them “rout” a spline channel (groove) all around the “inside” perimeter of the seat and back ..... overtop of and in-line with the holes …… and then install the pre-woven cane via use of a spline and glue.

Pictures and material prices: http://www.basketmakerscatalog.com/ps/22-cane-webbing-spline

[SophieMarie]

Great information!  Cogar, I had no idea one could purchase pre-woven cane....learned something new!!!

[mart]

Its easy to see which it is by looking at the bottom !!  Hand caning will have pegs cut level with the bottom !!  No pegs for sheet cane !!  Better hope its sheet and I think it is,, hand caning I have done before and it isn`t a pleasant job !!  You will learn several new words but,,not all of them are nice !!
Pretty sure this is sheet cane !!

[cogar]

Hand caning will have pegs cut level with the bottom !!

Mart, I have never seen hand caning done that way.

When weaving the cane it is put down thru the hole in the chair, ...... and then pulled extra tight ..... and then a "caning peg" is pushed into the hole ...... to tightly hold it there, ...... and as you keep weaving you keep moving the pegs. Like pictured here, to wit:



Anyway, back to the rocking chair in question.

If your rocking chair was hand-caned by a proficient “caner” then the underneath of the seat and the backside of the back …… should look like the below picture, ….. but without those “stray ends” of the cane sticking “up n’ out” around the perimeter. To finish the job, those “ends” would have been cut off and tucked back into a hole.   

 

[mart]

The one I did,,first and last one,,I swore I would never do that again,, had larger holes and all the holes when done were pegged and cut smoothly from the bottom !!  About a quarter inch from the top surface it had a spline to cover the pegs !!  It was on an old grandfathers chair and was a total headache !!  Have no idea where it came from,, it wasn`t one of mine !!  So I replaced it the way  it was originally done as requested !!  I think the one I did was English so thats why I stated it that way !!