Antique Eastlake Victorian Carved Side Chairs in Red Velvet Upholstery - Set of 2

Details

Description

This striking pair of antique Eastlake Victorian side chairs showcases the bold geometric carving and architectural detail characteristic of the … Read more This striking pair of antique Eastlake Victorian side chairs showcases the bold geometric carving and architectural detail characteristic of the Eastlake movement (circa 1880–1890). Each chair features an intricately carved crest rail, beveled edges, geometric linear carvings, and turned front legs—classic hallmarks of late-19th-century American craftsmanship.

The chairs retain their rich red velvet upholstery, giving them a dramatic pop of color and an elegant period-appropriate presentation. The upholstery is plush and comfortable, with decorative trim outlining the seat and back panels. One chair includes original wood casters, a desirable detail for collectors and period-style decorators.

These chairs work beautifully in:
• Entryways
• Reading corners
• Beside fireplace hearths
• Boutique hotel or photography staging
• Victorian-inspired interiors
• Use as statement accent chairs

Eastlake furniture continues to grow in desirability due to its distinctive carved lines and architectural presence—these chairs are an excellent example of the style and remain solid, stylish, and visually impressive.

Your chairs show multiple features only found on 19th-century originals:

• Hand-cut, irregular carving

The carving is NOT machine-perfect.
Eastlake-era carving was done with chisels, and you can see:
• uneven chisel marks
• hand-shaped edges
• variation between the two chairs (handwork rarely matches exactly)

• Original 1800s wooden casters

One of your chairs has wooden wheel casters, which were used primarily:
• 1850–1890 (American furniture)
After that, furniture switched to metal wheels and eventually rubber.

This is one of the strongest indicators of true age.

Eastlake in America: 1870–1890

The most common surviving examples are 1880–1890.

Your chairs specifically match the later part of the era because:

• They have machine-cut (but hand-finished) incised decoration

By the 1880s, furniture factories introduced treadle-powered carving tools that did:
• straight lines
• repetitive incised patterns

Your lines are consistent with this.

Had they been early 1870s Eastlake, the carving would be rougher and more deeply hand tooled. See less