Early 18th Century English Oak Settle

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Long before the English country house became synonymous with chintz and afternoon tea, there was the settle. A stout, hardworking … Read more Long before the English country house became synonymous with chintz and afternoon tea, there was the settle. A stout, hardworking piece of furniture that earned its keep in drafty halls and beside roaring hearths, where a high wooden back offered some welcome protection from the cold.

This magnificent 18th-century English example has all the character one could hope for. Constructed entirely of oak, its four-paneled back rises above beautifully shaped arms and particularly handsome, generously proportioned legs. The whole affair is held together with traditional wooden pegs, a rather wonderful reminder of a time when furniture was built to outlive its maker.

We've added a loose, down-filled box cushion, generously tufted and upholstered in a handsome neutral herringbone fabric with Samuel and Sons trim. A little concession to modern comfort that sacrifices none of its old-world character.

Three centuries later, it's still doing precisely what it was made to do. Only considerably more comfortably. See less