Greetings everyone….I have a question about a chair that has been in the family for years. I’ve attached 2 pics. One is of the chair upright. This is not the original seat. It previously had a woven rope/twine seat. The 2nd picture is what I am interested in. There is a piece of metal under each arm. I don’t know what these are. They are in the exact same place on each arm so I thought they might have a unique purpose. Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Mike
Is there any wear on the knobs on the top of the chair toward the front? Any wear around the wood at the front where finger/fingernails would leave marks? The reason I ask is having been raised around elderly you see that as people age it takes more effort to move forward and then get the upward motion going for getting out of a chair.
My first impression for these was that it was for a hand to grip to pull forward and up in order to exit.
http://www.antique-shop.com/forums/index.php?topic=19668.0
Here is the link to the other forum so you can follow it !! I believe they have it figured out !! Especially after seeing the way this chair is made !!
You haven`t said if there is family history or how you came to have this chair !! I mean was it purchased new or what ?? Has it been handed down in your family ??
I have studied furniture from about 1850 to 1980 for the last 40 years and I have never seen this application !! Now one thing that I noticed is that it looks like this was added after the chair was made.!!
Can you take a close pic of the back ?? I need to see the part where the back is attached to the seat !! Your chair reminds me of the Morris Chairs as they were made after 1900 !! They were the first reclining chairs !! I am wondering if this had a reclining back at some point !! Perhaps the metal object was a release button that was disengaged !! Looking at how its made that is unlikely but I am looking at all possibilities !! I am also going to cross post this to another forum for other opinions !!
Is there any family history that may help ??
Also,, I think the second pic you took,,the close up is of the same side !! The upright post shows a broken place where the post goes into the arm !! In the second pic bottom right of the pic I can see the same broken spot !! Need to match it to the opposite side if you can !! That broken place may indicate the chair was re-done at some point !! Also if you can tell me what country you are in please !! UK or USA ??
the thing goes in and out like a button. There is a hole in the arm, and the metal piece is covering it.
