English Regency Dining Chair
English Regency Dining Chair
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
On offer are two good quality, early 19th century Regency dining side chair, to be sold either as a pair or individually. Each chair has a simplistic hand carved curved back top rail and the horizontal splats below incorporate two simple decorative discs. With drop in pad seats, the chairs stand on sabre legs. Each chair is structurally sound and in good condition having acquired a warm, very lovely patina with age. The seat upholstery has been newly done using vintage organic mudcloth/Bogolan from Mali, which is comfortable to sit on – the fabric has been stabilized and treated with a water repellent surface coat.
The undersides are easily accessible so that the original tidy joinery is evident. Originally the seats seem to have been made of hand woven cane work and traces of this are still evident.
Add that weathered appeal to your space with these very much previously enjoyed chairs. They show colour variation and evidence that the previous owner/s thoroughly enjoyed using them.
The seat has been reupholstered using one of the most distinctive textiles of Africa – mud cloth made mainly by the Bamana people of Mali, West Africa. To boaster the longevity of the cloth, it has been reinforced and a layer of fabric interfacing has been incorporated. Furthermore the mud cloth seat is water-resistant and water-repellent, not easily penetrated by water, as a result of being treated with a specially formulated surface coat. The result is a very functional and enjoyable set of two chairs of utmost quality to be cherished by any serious collector of fine English antiques. These chairs can definitely be used on a daily basis, but as with most valued possessions, it would be a shame to expose such an antique piece to excessive traffic. So use it by all means, but keep in mind the worth of your new acquisition. Give your office or home entrance, living room, dining room, bedroom an accent that expresses the innovative you.
If you have questions about a particular item or would like to order, please contact Tribal Traces. We are more than happy and willing to answer.
BACKSTORY:
The Regency style furniture, as with many other distinctive styles of architecture, literature, fashion, and other artistic trends is associated with and identified by the name of an individual who ruled during that period. The English Regency era is commonly defined as spanning a period from 1790 to 1820, and encompasses the reign of the Prince of Wales, Prince Regent of Great Britain who ruled as the proxy for his father, King George III, who was deemed unfit to rule. This he did until the King’s death in 1820 and thereafter the Prince assumed the throne as King George IV. Not to be confused with the French Regency, which was between 1700 and 1730.
Stimulations and inspirations of foreign designs from the ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian cultures significantly influenced the Prince Regent and in turn had influence on the design of furniture of the time, altering and shaping the societal structure of the entire country. Consequently, the ensuing Regency style furniture can be recognized by characteristics such as dark, heavy wood – mahogany, rosewood, zebrawood, and concave or saber-shaped front/back legs, to list but a couple. The form here is strongly influenced by 5th century Greece, characterized by splayed legs, a curved back, and concave backrest this form is generally referred to as a "klismos" chair.
Curved bar back chairs like these two here were and still are very common in Europe.
The upholstery fabric is the bogolan or Bògòlanfini, more commonly known as “mud cloth”. It is a handmade traditional cotton fabric from Burkina Faso and Mali. It is invariably dyed using fermented mud, berries and leaves. A symbol of cultural identity, it has traditionally had an important place in these countries. Handpicked cotton is spun and woven on narrow looms by the men folk; these strips of approximately 15 cm wide are then stitched together into cloths. The women carry out the more convoluted and cumbersome job of dying the cloths.
PRODUCT DETAILS/SPECIFICATION:
Type: Antique side chair
Dimensions: Height: 84 cm, Width: 44/38 cm, Depth: 40 cm,
Weight: 6 Kg
Style: European bar-back
Geographic origin: England
Date of manufacture: Mostly likely Circa 1810-20
Period: 19th century, English Regency period
Materials and techniques: 100% cotton Bogolan (Mud cloth) and cotton interfacing, mahogany, rosewood or oak wood, original padding of wool and straw, new jute/burlap straps.
Condition: Good
Condtion/wear/damage: They are in typical antique and vintage condition, with some signs of commensurate ‘wear‘ with age and use as to be expected for its age, including expected scratches and general wear on the legs. At the top of one of the chairs, a bit of wood is missing at an old crack. But this simply adds to its authenticity and charm.
