Rare 1873 Heywood Brothers (Heywood Wakefield) Solid Oak Chair Frames (2)

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This pair of very early Wakefield Brothers chair frames are made of solid oak with elaborate carving and design. They … Read more This pair of very early Wakefield Brothers chair frames are made of solid oak with elaborate carving and design. They appear to have had caned seats and a caned center splat originally, which have long been removed. Each chair has metal medallions installed on the top of each front leg with "Heywood Bros & Co., Gardner, Mass, Pat. Jan 7, 1873" embossed on each. The top of each backrest has a section that is either burled wood veneer or inlay.

Due to their age, they are shorter than standard chairs in the 20th and 21st centuries. The finish appears to be original and untouched and shows its age. The front legs of each chair are nicely carved while the rear legs have a simple design, but extend all the way into the back rest (they seem to be tapered and inserted into the bottom of the back rests themselves). These would make beautiful statement pieces. I considered having very thick tempered glass cut and installed for seats to show off the lines of the frames and project a modern/industrial sense of design, but decided to list them as they are to allow the buyer to implement their own vision for these wonderful and quite rare pieces.

Heywood Brothers was founded in 1826 in Gardner, Massachusetts, by five brothers (Walter, Levi, Seth, Benjamin, and William). The company began as a small wooden chair business in a farmhouse shed and grew into one of the top American manufacturers of wood, wicker, and rattan furniture. The company merged with the Wakefield Company (their rival) in 1897 to become the famous Heywood Wakefield Company. In addition to their use of wicker and rattan, they often made pieces using bentwood design and techniques.

The seats measure 18.5”W x 17.25”D
Seat height from floor is 17.25”
Seat back is 17.75”H from seat.
Top of back is approximately 35”H from floor. See less