Summary:
• Item: American Oak Desk Chair
• Circa: 1910
• Period: Edwardian
• Style: Art Nouveau
• Provenance: Chicago, North America
• Mechanism: Johnson Chair Company
• Wood: Solid oak
• High back design
• Large supportive bar shaped top rail
• Fan lower back
• Reclining & height adjustable mechanism
• Shaped scroll arms
• Elegant shaped arm supports
• Newly upholstered in burgundy red leather
• Splayed oak legs
• Replacement solid brass & mug castors (English made)
• Rotates 360 degrees
• Reclining back action
• Height adjustable
• Very comfortable
• Cleaned & serviced mechanism
• Excellent original condition
• Free delivery to mainland England, Wales & southern Scotland*
• Free 14-day UK returns policy
Description:
Here is a fine quality antique American oak desk chair, from the Edwardian Art Nouveau period, with a revolving, reclining & height adjustable mechanism, by Johnson Chair Company of Chicago, with a newly upholstered burgundy leather seat, circa 1910, in excellent condition. The American oak desk chair features a high back consisting of a tall curved bar back, supported by lower fan back supports. The back connects to shaped scroll arms on elegant vertical shaped supports. The back and arms connect to the seat, which has been newly upholstered, to a professional standard, in top quality full grain burgundy red leather. The underside of the seat has been re-webbed in the traditional manner. The American oak desk chair sits on four splayed oak legs that terminate on English made replacement solid brass & mug castors. The chair incorporates a mechanism allowing it to rotate 360 degrees and recline backwards. The seat height can be adjusted by turning a ribbed metal screw on the underside of the chair, while the tension of the reclining action can be adjusted by turning the small wheel on the front of the mechanism. The American oak desk chair mechanism has been restored and serviced and is in excellent working order. The mechanism is embossed with “Johnson Chair Co”. The chair is extremely comfortable to sit on as it features a lovely upholstered seat with a high back.
The American oak desk chair features a rich golden-brown oak colour. As it boasts the original polish, it has a fantastic colour and patination; this can only be achieved through age and years of care and cleaning it has received.
This antique revolving office chair would look superb in a variety of rooms in the home, especially the office or study as it is so comfortable. This item would certainly grace any home. So, don’t miss out on your chance to own a lovely piece of furniture.
Provenance:
The Johnson Chair Company was founded in Chicago in 1867 as Herhold, Johnson & Borgmeier by founders Frederick Herhold, Andrew P. Johnson and Adolph Borgmeier. After Herhold’s interest in the company was bought out by Johnson and Johnson’s brother Nels joined the company, it was renamed A. P. Johnson & Co. Its name changed again in 1883 to Johnson Chair Company. Expansion between 1879 and 1888 saw the original wooden factory replaced with a five-story brick building, followed by additional five- and six-story buildings. The company survived three separate fires in the years around the turn of the century, causing many tens of thousands of dollars-worth of damage each time and, in one case, injuring four firemen. By 1905, the company was manufacturing over 498 different styles of chair and employing between 501 and 603 staff. Co-founder Borgmeier also died the same year and Johnson’s eldest son Joseph was elected treasurer. A. P. Johnson himself died in 1907 and Frederick Herhold passed away in 1908. Later the same year, the company moved to new premises to make way for the Northwestern Railroad. In 1948, the company ceased operations and its equipment was auctioned off, the factory being sold to Helene Curtis Industries. The following year, W. H. Gunlocke Chair Company of Wayland, New York, acquired the Johnson name and chair designs, continuing to produce them under the Johnson name until 1979.
Condition Report:
Here is a fine quality antique American oak desk chair, from the Edwardian Art Nouveau period, constructed of solid oak, with a resolving, reclining & height adjustable mechanism, by Johnson Chair Company of Chicago, with a newly upholstered burgundy leather seat, circa 1910, in excellent condition. The seat has been newly upholstered, to a professional standard, in top quality full grain green leather. The reclining and adjustable height mechanism is in good working order, having just been cleaned and serviced. There is some play to the mechanism but this is perfectly acceptable, and in line with the age of the chair. The American oak desk chair boasts a rich golden-brown oak colour, having been cleaned and French polished by hand, to a professional standard, in our workshops. The American oak desk chair incorporates replacement English made solid brass & mug castors, which are in excellent condition. This office chair is solid in joint and ready to use.
Dimensions:
The following information provides dimensions on when the chair height is lowered and also raised to its highest setting using by adjusting the central steel rod:
External height (raised) = 104.7cm or 41¼” or 3ft 5¼”
External height (lowered) = 93cm or 36” or 3ft 0⅝”
External width = 61.5cm or 24¼” or 2ft 0¼”
External depth = 61.5cm or 24¼” or 2ft 0¼”
Seat height (raised) = 62cm or 24⅜” or 2ft 0⅜”
Seat height (lowered) = 49.3cm or 19⅜” or 1ft 7”
Seat width (between arms) = 46.5cm or 18¼” or 1ft 6¼”
Seat width (to edge of seat) = 51.8cm or 20” or 1ft 8⅜”
Seat Depth = 44cm or 17⅜” or 1ft 5⅜”
Arm height (raised) = 80.1cm or 31½” or 2ft 7½”
Arm height (lowered) = 67.8cm or 26¾” or 2ft 2¾”
Back height (from seat) = 50cm or 19¾” or 1ft 7¾”
Terms & Conditions:
Before you purchase this item, please ensure you have read and are in agreement with our Terms & Conditions of Sale. If you have any questions regarding our Terms & Conditions of Sale, please contact us to discuss them, before purchasing this item.
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