Webberley Antiques

Description

With a fantastic colour and rich patination, and in entirely original condition, this exceptional and rare 18th century combe back ‘hedge chair’ has a yew wood bow and comb crest rail and yew wood spindles, legs and stretchers. The seat is a thickly cut slab of burr and figured elm.

It is difficult to be precise about the origins of these primitive hedge chairs because so little was documented in the 1700s and they were made by itinerant bands of workers, such as wheelrights with basic hand held tools and honed carpentry skills, who travelled from village to village all over the country – wherever there was need for the work of making and repairing furniture, carts, ploughs, and cart wheels.

Landowners and wealthy farmers would employ them but records of the services provided and the sums paid are virtually non existent.

The undished seat of this chair is a single slab of elm worked with a hand held adze. The stretchers and legs were formed using a knife drawn over the timber to shape it, leaving each with an natural slighltly irregular natural shape. The yew bow rail was steamed and bent and, as here, these rails were rarely symmetrical and add to the natural charm of such early chairs.

Although skilled and knowledgeable on joining, using and working different timbers there are no two hedge chairs the same, or sets of hedge chairs which match. The timbers were taken from the hedgerow and worked to make one piece and each piece is therefore entirely unique and individual.

This chair is almost certainly Welsh as crescent arm bow supports are typically found on primitive 18th century chairs from Wales and the west country.

Original joints are all firm and tight with no creaks. The chair is comfortable and sturdy and heavy with no repairs or later elements - a beautiful example made by skilled hands in c. 1780.

Fresh to the market having been in the ownership of a passionate chair collector for many years, this chair is a ‘statement piece’, an example of 18th century ‘folk art’ and a rare and beautiful piece of primitive vernacular hedge furniture.

This chair is an extremely rare survivor in superb original condition, I doubt there is another of this colour, quality and condition anywhere on the market.


Dimensions are:

40.5 inches high 20.5 inches wide, and 16 inches deep.

The seat is 18 inches wide and 13.5 inches deep. The height of the back from the seat is 26 inches.

The height from floor to top of arms is 25 inches. The width between the arms is 21 inches.
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