Holy Moly what a set of antique painted step down Windsor chairs!! These chairs are painted in a mustardy blonde coloration with hand painted Chinoiserie design on the step down toprail. Wonderful age patina particularly on the saddle seat and the arms of the host chair. The legs and the back uprights are turned in a faux bamboo styling. All 8 chairs are in excellent antique condition. None is “woogedy” but some have evidence of having been re-glued at some point in their 100 years. I cannot find any signature on any of the chairs or the accompanying pieces, which we also have listed here on our website. These chairs are similar to others I have seen dating to early 1800’s and termed Early American. I have also seen similar pieces done by Wallace Nutting although these are not marked. In any case these great Windsor chairs are surely an heirloom for you and your family to enjoy for many, many years. Please take a close look at the historical photos we have provided of the complete original dining room set as it was in 1915 (the black and white photo) and as it was in 1950 (the photo with the turquoise wall).
The Windsor chair is a style of chair in which the legs, arms and spindles are socketed into a shaped seat. They have been made in Britain since the mid-18th century. By 1875 in the county Buckinghamshire and, in particular, the town of High Wycombe some 4,000 chairs were made each day. The legs can help with dating as the earlier the chair, the slimmer the leg. Windsor chairs were made with different types of wood including ash, elm, maple, and hickory with rare examples being made with yew and mahogany. Many have painted finishes.
