Vintage American Schoolhouse Chair — Wood Slat Back Side Chair

Details

Description

The schoolhouse chair is one of the great unsung furniture forms of American design — produced by the hundreds of … Read more The schoolhouse chair is one of the great unsung furniture forms of American design — produced by the hundreds of thousands for schools, libraries, courthouses, and churches across the country from the late 19th century through the mid-20th, it is a chair defined entirely by fitness and honesty. Solid wood seat shaped to the body, vertical back slats fanning to a curved crest rail, four sturdy legs braced front and rear. Nothing added, nothing removed, nothing to apologize for.

This example is a handsome specimen of the form. The wood — birch or maple in a warm honey tone — is consistent and well-grained throughout, with the saddle-shaped solid seat showing the natural figuring that comes from quality hardstock. The back slats are evenly spaced and cleanly executed, fanning from the lower rail to the curved crest in the classic manner. The stretcher system is intact and the chair is solid throughout.

What makes the schoolhouse chair so persistently appealing is its extraordinary versatility. It works at a kitchen table, a writing desk, a dining table, or pulled up to a kitchen island. It suits farmhouse, traditional, industrial, and eclectic interiors with equal ease and rewards reupholstering if a padded seat is preferred. A well-made example of this form — honest, durable, and entirely without pretension — is one of the most useful chairs you can bring into a home.

Dimensions: 17w 16d 17.5sh 33.5h

Condition: age appropriate wear, vintage finish worn, scuffs/scratches, edge wear, discoloration, see photos. See less