I would very much appreciate information on this unusual armchair. I believe it might be European, perhaps of the arts & craft or art nouveau period. It is a very heavy piece of furniture made of pine wood. The decoration has been applied using the same technique seen on some Thonet & J.J. Kohn chairs. Below the seat it has two iron tenants to properly stretch & hold the chair. Many thanks for any information you might provide regarding provenance, style, period and value.
Martha, I agree with you 100%, the chair does not have the style of the art noveau period but has been decorated with a typical art noveau motif. In my opinion it does look older perhaps 1870’s during the revival period previous to the explosion of the art noveau. However, there might be an exception and is the ARTS & CRAFT prevailing in UK at the end of the XIX beginning of the 20th Century. Arts & Craft is characterized for the combination of gothic style with new elements such as this kind of decoration. This is common in fabrics, ceramics, and of course in furniture. As per the signature you mention, it is funny since I always thought there is a signature/mark within an oval shaped form in the right front leg but it well might be just my imagination!! Take a look at the attached picts. Perhaps it is just some node/ vein in the wood……..
