The Windsor chair is recognised as one of the classics of
English country furniture. They were often made by village
craftsmen to traditional designs in native woods like elm, ash,
beech and yew.
The form emerged in the early 18th century, though
the origin of the name is obscure. Chairs of this type were
manufactured in large numbers in the Thames Valley in
Buckinghamshire, and Windsor may have been a centre for
distribution.
In practice Windsor refers not to the place of origin but to a
design principle where the legs and the back are both socketed into
a solid seat and this form of construction proved so practical and
popular that it was widely adopted not only by country craftsmen,
but for mass production in factories for schools and other
institutions. More sophisticated examples were also produced by
fashionable makers for wealthy clients.
Windsor chairs were made in a wide range of styles and there are
distinct regional variations from all over Britain and the USA
where the form was equally popular.
Windsor chairs are still being made in the traditional way
today.
Above: a late 18th century Thames Valley Windsor chair in
desirable yew wood with elm seats, cherry back legs and a pierced
splat which made £3600 at Christie's South Kensington in September
2010.
The enduring strength and popularity of the Windsor design is
indicated by the fact that many are still in daily use 200 years
after they were made. Most Windsor chairs are bought to furnish
traditional homes rather than by collectors and they can represent
excellent value for money, with examples of many of the most common
types available for tens rather than hundreds of pounds.
Connoisseurs look for chairs of unusual or refined design and
for pieces in unaltered condition with original finish.
Windsor chairs were made in a large range of styles but the
traditional English forms tend to be either comb- or hoop-backed
with a central decorative splat. For comb-backed chairs, the
upright spindles that form the backrest are socketed into a simple
bar at the top. In hoop-back chairs the uprights are anchored by a
bent arch of wood which is jointed into the seat or the arms. The
arms are generally formed from a single length of wood bent into a
bow.
There will always be extra interest in unusual pieces such as
Windsor settees, high chairs or rockers.
Examples of the common types of Windsor chairs can often be
bought for tens rather than hundreds of pounds. Simple slat-backed
chairs were made in their thousands for institutional use and they
continue to be excellent value for everyday seating today.
Prices of £100 upwards can be expected for standard country
chairs of comb- or hoop-backed form, with outstanding examples
priced at £1000-plus, depending on form, colour and patination.
At the top end of the scale there are chairs and sets of chairs
that have sold for up to £10,000 or more. These are generally
examples of more sophisticated design, such as the 'Strawberry Hill
Gothick' chairs of the 1770-80s which have backs in the form of a
pointed gothic arch, elegantly shaped seats and cabriole legs.
These are generally reckoned to be among the most desirable of all
Windsors.
In general, the more sophisticated designs tend to command
higher prices. The same goes for chairs with specific associations
to a well-known house or owner. However, well preserved examples of
early or primitive design that have not been altered or refinished
will also be highly prized.
Sets will tend to make more than the sum of the value of the
individual chairs and, in the case of Windsor chairs, even sets
where the chairs are not exactly matched can command a premium.
Most chairs are unmarked so any stamped with a maker's name are
of greater interest, especially if the name can be linked with a
particular area.
Many country chairs have acquired a particularly fine patina,
having been polished through years of use and the elm seats can be
spectacularly figured. Yew chairs are generally taken to be the
most desirable.
Some chairs were painted from the outset and in such cases the
presence of the original painted finish is a plus point.
Chairs that have been painted and later stripped are rarely
pleasing to the eye. Watch out for chairs that have been damaged
and recently repaired or with legs that have been shortened.
The English Regional Chair by Bernard D. Cotton,
Antique Collectors' Club. ISBN 1 85149 023
The English Windsor Chair by Thomas Crispin, Alan
Sutton. ISBN 0 7509 0117 9
Windsor Chairs by Michael Harding-Hill, Antique
Collectors' Club. ISBN 1 85149 4294
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