Very Rare Pair of Original Early 20th Century Black Forest Wood Bear Armchairs

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Very Rare Pair of Original Early 20th Century Black Forest Wood Bear Armchairs

About the Item

We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning and exceptionally rare pair of original hand carved in Black Forest wood very large Bear armchairs A collectable and signature pair of art furniture armchairs. Black forest wood seating almost never comes up for sale, some single pieces fetch up to £50,000, they look amazing in any setting and really are the most wonderful conversation pieces This pair are exceptional, they date to the early 20th century circa 1920, they are hand carved from solid slabs of black forest wood timber. Black forest wood gets its name from the darkness of the timber, this is due to the trees being naturally grown very closely, they are very tall meaning no light reaches the timber giving it this wonderful color This pair came to me in need of some sympathetic conservation, they had been coated is some kind of thick sticky dark wax which hid the natural color and timber patina, we have painstakingly removed this substance to reveal the natural color of the wood and grain. We have then very lightly wax sealed and hand polished them from top to bottom, the finished result is pretty much the best looking pair of these chairs you will ever find They have old repairs here and there, nothing you wouldn’t expect from 100+ year old chairs that are this large and heavy. There are no losses or structural issues what so ever they are a very fine example Dimensions: Height 104cm Width 71cm Depth 61cm Seat height 43cm Please note all measurements are taken at the widest point Black Forest Carving History In the 1800s the wood carving industry of Switzerland started in the town of Brienz. By the end of the 1800s it had become the driving force for this industry. Swiss wood carvers became world renown and featured at many international exhibitions. Here is a shortlist of the major exhibitions Black Forest Carvings were spotlighted. Great Exhibition, London (1851) Centennial Exhibition, Philadelphia (1876) Chicago Worlds Fair, Chicago (1893) Exposition Universelle, Paris (1900) In Europe Black Forest carvings (wares) became a symbol of luxury and wealth. The finest pieces of Black Forest carving was often found in Royal collection and elite collector’s homes (usually Victorian world travellers). During the 1800s-1900s popularity was also growing in many overseas markets. There was a high demand for these carving especially depicting American Wildlife. Here are some of the American animals that were highly sought after: Bears, Stags, Eagles, Boars and Dogs Present Market In the last 15 years this genre has seen some major changes. Specialty auctions and dealers have been popping up worldwide. Along with various books on the subject being published. For the first time pieces showing up at auction are being attributed to Master Swiss carvers. The biggest misconception about Black Forest carvings is that they originated in Germany. However they are actually the creation of Swiss carvers. This item is available for collection from our Wimbledon warehouses Condition Please view the very detailed pictures as they form part of the description around condition Please note vintage period and original items such as leather seating will always have natural patina in the form of cracking creasing and wear, we recommend regular waxing to ensure no moisture is lost, also hand dyed leather is not recommended to sit in direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time as it will dry out and fade.

Creator:
Black Forrest (Maker)
Dimensions:
Height: 40.95 in (104 cm)Width: 27.96 in (71 cm)Depth: 24.02 in (61 cm)Seat Height: 16.93 in (43 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 2
Style:
Black Forest (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Wood,Hand-Carved
Place of Origin:
Switzerland
Period:
1920-1929
Date of Manufacture:
1920
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Minor fading.
Seller Location:
GB
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU2823318954322