English or Scottish, 1705-15, beech and cane, 76/2003

Chair of turned and carved beech, dark-stained, with S-scrolled front legs, the frame of the inner back and the fore-rail carved with scrolls and pierced, the seat and back panels caned. The back uprights are baluster turned, with rectangular sections at the joints and with turned vase finials. They are slightly raked above seat level and the foot sections show a shallow kick to the rear. The front legs are carved as S-scrolls below baluster turnings, the feet upscrolled and carved with acanthus. The low rail of the back, the cresting panel and the two vertical panels forming the inner frame for the cane panel are pieced and carved with S-scrolls, as is the fore-rail, all with the carving centreing on thistle heads. The legs are joined by baluster turned stretchers with rectangular joint sections, except at the joint of the side stretchers with the front legs (where a narrower joint is required). The stretchers are set in H-formation, with a single back stretcher, set high. The frame to the trapezoidal seat is moulded on the outer, top edge.

The chair is jointed with mortise and tenon joints. The chair was conserved in 1981, when old metal reinforcements were removed. The left (PR) front leg was replaced. The back and left (PR) stretchers and the cross stretchers are replaced in oak, as are the left (PR) and front rail to the seat. Half of the decorative fore-rail is replaced.

Given by Frank Galsworthy

In the late 17th century caned chairs became extremely popular not only among the aristocracy and gentry but also among merchants and tradesmen. They were much cheaper than upholstered chairs. From the 1680s onwards enormous quantities were made in London especially, for export as well as for the home market. The use of thistles in the carving on this chair might tempt us to think that it was made in Scotland but there is no certain evidence for its origins.

W.1-1910