Expert: Eileen Cronk - 12/22/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hi Eileen, I bought this chair recently, it has two casters in the front, and is carved with different types of wood panels all around it.  I'm not sure if the upholstery is original or not, and I can't even tell what period or where to start looking for comparison pricing.  Can you tell me period this could be from, and what it would be described as?  Baroque, Gothic, Victorian?  Also, it looks like mainly oak, would that be possible? Thanks so much!  Best wishes, Cynthia

ANSWER: Hi again Cynthia
Fred Taylor was kind enough to contact me after seeing our correspondance about your chair. Fred is the American furniture expert here on Allexperts so there remains no doubt about this chair.
Fred wrote..
"Eileen - The chair you responded to on AllExperts is Eastlake style, like your chest only slightly earlier. The wood is walnut with walnut burl panels on the stiles. Most of the shallow carving was machine done with a spindle carver attached to a pantograph following a pattern.
It is a factory made chair probably made in the Midwest. I agree with the price you suggested."
Cynthia the chest Fred refers to is one I inquired about.
Fred dated it for me 1880 to 1890.
So your chair is a bit older than my dresser but not much.
A big thanks to Fred for his help.
And heres just a bit more of my two cents LOL.
I personally do not mind the fabric on the chair, in fact I quite like the chair.
If you plan on keeping it this way, it would look much nicer if you replaced the "gimp".
This is the cording that goes around the outside on the chair back panel and around the bottom edge.
Its a very easy thing to do and gimp is readily available at fabric stores. It can be glued on with fabric glue.
So thats my two cents.
Write anytime.
Regards
Eileen

Hi Cynthia
Nice to hear from you.
This is a bit out of my line Cynthia but I'm always happy to comment on these things LOL...Hubby says I have to comment on everything.
I feel this is a Victorian chair.
I feel the etchings I see on the top are done by hand.
I feel this chair is definitely not oak.
I feel this is not the original upholstery but it was done a good while ago.
In my neck of the woods at auction on a good day this chair would sell for $100.00 to $125.00
Here are some similar chairs.
http://www.stuff-tiques.com/NewItems/GWSQ-1770%20Victorian%20Chairs.jpg
And here
http://www.phillipsauctionservice.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/Victorian_s
And best Wishes back to you Cynthia.
Eileen

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Eileen,  I just picked up a few library books today on chairs, and I thought it looked like Eastlake, but I was hoping it was Herter Brothers!  Oh well!  Thanks so much for that advice on the "gimping", I didn't know that terminology and that will help me in the future.  We are allergic to dust over here so I'm wondering how leather would look, or it that would even make sense to spend that money on it.  Or I might sell it because I'm running out of room, I can't decide!  

I have another interesting chair that I'm going to post a question about, if it's not too much trouble!  Thank you and thanks to Fred too!  

Happy Holidays!
Cynthia

Answer
Hi Again Cynthia
The dust will be mostly in the stuffing.
A shop can advise on a hypo allergic filling.
Leather I feel would be a bad choice.
I suspect you will pay at least the worth of the chair to have it redone.
No trouble send away LOL.
Regards
Eileen