Sunset Trading Selections Windsor Arrowback Windsor Dining Chair, Light Oak Finish Solid Wood, Set of 4 Sidechairs - Sunset Trading CM-820-LO-RTA-4 (2024)

FAQs

How can you tell if a chair is antique Windsor? ›

Styles & Woods used on Antique Windsor Chairs

You can see the turned spindle along with the shaped seat and back splat in their construction. Windsor chairs were made with locally sourced woods like Oak, Ash, Elm and Yew.

Manufacturers' markings

Early pieces will have a symbol or mark burned into the wood, usually on the underside of the chair where it will not be seen. Branded marks or carved symbols were used in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, and were replaced by paper labels or metal plaques later.

Windsor chairs are a type of chair that originated in England. It is built with a solid wooden seat that the chair-back and legs are round-tenoned, or pushed into drilled holes.

Windsor chairs were once the seating of choice for many in Colonial and early Federal America. The market for these American icons is now shaped by their rarity, aesthetic appeal, condition, and soaring values.

Despite their light weight, Windsors are incredibly strong, thanks to clever engineering. Below the seat, triangulation provides resistance to racking; above the seat, it counteracts backward momentum. Rake, splay, slouch, and cant angles differ by style of chair and by use.

How can you determine the quality of a dining chair? A high-quality dining chair is sturdy, has no wobbly parts, and features even finishes. The joints should be well-fitted, and if it's upholstered, the fabric should be tightly fitted without any visible wrinkles or gaps.

Vintage items are much younger than antiques. These pieces are typically defined as being at least 20 years old but less than 100 years old. The term "true vintage" is a sub-category for items that are at least 50 years old.

A Windsor chair is a classic and timeless piece of furniture known for its elegant design and versatility.

The American Windsor chair has two aesthetic differences from the English Windsor style. Instead of featuring curved cabriole legs, American Windsor chairs have tapered, turned legs. Secondly, American chair makers also replaced back splats—a prominent feature of English Windsor chairs—with hand drawn spindles.

When were Windsor chairs popular? ›

The main period of Windsor chair production was the 19th century. However the design originated in the early 18th century when it is thought that Windsors were often made in small workshops. The earliest known date relating to the supply of Forest chairs is currently 1720.

Windsor side chairs (those without arms) and armchairs made in the 19th century have turned legs united by transverse and side stretchers and were often stamped with the maker's name.

Even so, the American product is fairly easy to recognize: slimmer bent parts; a thicker seat plank with front legs socketed farther from the edge; and more intricate turnings. Fig. 1: Low-back Windsor armchair, Philadelphia, PA, ca. 1755–1760.

Windsor chair, popular type of wooden chair constructed of turned (shaped on a lathe), slender spindles that are socketed into a solid, saddle-shaped wooden seat. Those spindles extending downward form the legs and those extending upward form the back and arm rests.

When thinking about how to identify antique chairs, start by looking for individual markings. If you're lucky, sometimes the exact year is inscribed too, but markings often fade over time. Identify the materials used, including the wood type. If the chair has a seat covering, examine this too.