Colonial Antique Chairs

Early colonial chairs were made in the styles prevailing in Britain at the time. The earliest colonial form that remains is the sabre-legged chair, with a concave top rail and outswept front legs. This design was derived from ancient Greek models (the 'klismos' and the 'thronos' (armchair), via the famous early Regency designer, Thomas Hope.

However, this form was not persisted with for long, probably because of its structural weakness, particularly when made from cedar (Toona ciliata). Turned, tapered legs soon became the standard, sometimes with facets along the main part of the leg, or with restrained carving at the top of the leg. By the middle of the century, bulbous turned legs had come into fashion.

The top rails of early chairs were generally rectangular. In some cases, the ends of the 'rectangle' were shaped and carved. By the 1830s balloon-backed, and the less-persistent, kidney-backed, chairs had emerged. Balloon backs became the most popular form from the middle of the century

Early seats were usually of the 'drop-in' variety. 'Stuffed-over' seats (the seat forming part of the chair) soon displaced 'drop-in' seats. Upholstery springs were first developed during the 1820s. Sprung stuffed-over seats eventually became the standard, though drop in seats were occasionally made for dining chairs, in particular.

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