19th century, Austrian, upholstered seat

Chair of fruitwood, probably walnut, with upholstered seat and carved back motif. The frame plain and the front legs tapering, with stretchers joining front and back legs and stretcher bar close to front leg. The stretchers tapered where joining the legs. The back legs slightly splayed and curved outwards. Plain square open back, with a simple carved scroll design in wood with small star or flower-shape stamped brass rosette decoration in the centre. Back curving outwards, with solid back splat protruding in a slight curve over the back rails. The transition between back and seat is very angular, almost abrupt. Seat wider at front than back and upholstered with a blue-green (replaced) fabric en-suite with W.37-1970 and W.36-1970. Later unfinished pine reinforcement rails on the inside of and under the seat.

This chair, together with its counterpart W.37-1970, could have been made in Austria (possibly in Vienna). However, the use of fruitwood for chairs was common in Austria as well as middle and southern Germany at this time, and the design of this chair, although delicate, is not specifically Austrian or Viennese. A definite geographical attribution is difficult.

Attribution note: This chair, like its counterpart W.37-1970, is of serviceable yet unremarkable quality. The wood is unfinished on any unseen parts (e.g. under the stretcher rails) and there are double incised lines in the wood (levelling lines to assist the construction) where parts join. The wood does not appear to have been taken from one stem (the pattern of the grain varies substantially) and there are distinct differences in the quality of the carving and general appearance of W.38-1970 and W.37-1970.
The carving on this chair is not as crisp as that on W.37-1970; it appears that the chairs may have been made by different craftsmen, or perhaps in a process of shared labour.

W.38-1970