Windsor Chair Makers Marks

Written by james mursell this book was the first new book about the making and design of windsor chairs for over 10 years.
Windsor chair makers marks. The chair came from an old building in pittsburgh pa in 1972. Child s writing arm ch 27a 1 800 00. Tracy writing arm chair ch 27 2 600 00. Pretzel back windsor arm chair ch 16a 1 600 00.
We ve looked on line for information on maker s marks for furniture checked the library s antique and furniture books without success. Philadelphia high back arm chair ch 15 1 400 00. Pretzel back windsor side chair ch 16 1 300 00. Comb back writing arm chair ch 26 1 775 00.
Additional commissions for monticello have been fulfilled including square back settees for the dome room and jefferson designed settees for the exterior terraces. It was written with a broad readership in mind and is aimed at existing windsor chair makers and also at those who are contemplating making their first chair. I have two grown sons. One a musician and goldsmith the other a college student avid outdoorsman and a chair maker at windsor chairmakers.
With a crown over it and on two others a. In france a strict guild corporation insisted on. Port records document thousands of windsor chairs in the export trade giving credence to new york maker thomas hays s claim that masters of vessels or merchants can be supplied with from 1 to 1000 chairs in. Shaker seat options colors may not be accurate on all computer or mobile device screens.
I make windsor chairs in much the same way they were made 200 years ago. Mark soukup made twenty eight double bowed windsor chairs for monticello s main entrance hall reproducing the original chairs listed in jefferson s 1801 records. Furniture labels and marks have been used since the 19th century and the number of marks out there is mind boggling in his book arts and crafts shopmarks author bruce e. Maker s marks on british antique furniture.
They may be stamped in a variety of ways and often in more than one place. My small one man shop is located in tennessee in the heart of jonesborough s historic district i have published numerous articles on chairmaking and have taught in craft schools both here and abroad. I was given a type 3 windsor chair however the legs and support for the arm is like those of the legs of type 4. Windsor chair makers produced seating in bulk and probably found marks useful for tracking ownership and maintaining accountability.
They are stamped on the bottom a m. Thomas jefferson swivel chair ch 17 1 600 00. The back arch has 2 grooves unlike the other chairs i ve seen that are smooth and the arms end with a knuckle design. Johnson noted that more than 1 300 marks or shopmarks were used from 1895 1940 by artists and furniture makers in the arts crafts movement alone and that doesn t.
When buying antique furntiure it is important to look out for pieces stamped with the mark of their maker to help date and vaule a piece. Flame stitch tape adds 40 to chair price.