Rustic Solid Pine Chairs with Carved Backs, Europe early 20th century

This mid-century dining chair set was born from a desire to create a design that was comfortable, organic and cosy in its simplicity. The design incorporates subtle, yet stunning dec...

Mid-century designers were eager to break free from the aesthetics of the past and experiment with new forms, and techniques. At the same time, especially in Europe, the modernist design movement was often based on traditional styles and techniques, such as turned chairs. Turned chairs — sometimes called thrown chairs or spindle chairs — represent a style of Elizabethan or Jacobean turned furniture that had a vogue in the late 16th and early 17th century. The technique was carried on to the 20th century and was widespread in Europe as well, where craftsmen created durable pieces for various interiors and purposes. In turned furniture, the individual wooden spindles of the piece were made by shaping them with chisels and gouges while they were being spun, or turned between the centre points of a lathe. The construction of this pair is evocative of the more robust Arts and Crafts Movement, featuring subtle decorative elements such as the finials atop the backs. The sphere-shaped finials aren’t the only ornamentations on the design; the shape of the two splats on the back, the carved stretchers and carving on the feet are all decorative features that make this pair visually arresting. In later turned chairs, like this pair, rush seats were common. Here, the seats are woven around the frames with a light colour that beautifully contrasts to the dark, patinated wood. The partnership of the two natural materials is very effective as well; the wood and rush pair...

Contemporary interior design refers to the style of the moment, which means it is constantly evolving with time. These low chairs are about recognizing beauty in humble simplicity while showcasing exceptional craftsmanship. Low chairs have been common around Asia for centuries. These types of chairs, like the Japanese “zaisu” or the traditional Indian “Pida” chairs...

The ‘spinning chair’, this historic type of seating has had numerous modern interpretations across Europe, however, most preserved the main functional characteristics: solid wood, enduring, high quality craftsmanship, a tall, straight back for good posture and freedom of movement. The art of spinning yarn is thousands of years old, but the spinning wheel as we know it is estimated to have arrived in Europe around the middle of the 13th century and along with it came the three or four-legged spinning chair. The backs were often hand carved with various motifs or fantasy creatures making each one unique and individual. As these oak chairs show, the Modernist movement influenced the traditional design by removing most of the intricate decorative elements, and substituting them with a more streamlined structure. The carved high backs and octagonal seats...

Pair of rustic Alpine chairs, or backed stools, circa 1840-1869. Hand-carved in mixed woods. Decorative pierced walnut backs. Sold together as a near pair priced $5,800. 1st chair: 3...

Monumental Swedish Pine Armchairs, 1950s – Sculptural Rustic Modernism. Striking in both scale and silhouette, this rare pair of monumental Swedish pine armchairs from the 1950s exe...

Uncover the allure of vintage charm with this exquisite pair of 1900s Central European Wooden Chairs. Each chair stands as a relic of a time when craftsmanship was an art, featuring ...

Circa 1890 19thC Pair Swiss Elm Hall Chairs With pierced backs and cleated seats. Measures: W 35 x D 45 x H 93cm. Seat height 44.