Summary:
• Item: Revolving office armchair
• Circa: 1910
• Period: Edwardian
• Style: Art Nouveau
• Provenance: Chicago, North America
• Mechanism: Johnson Chair Company
• Wood: Solid oak
• High back design
• Foliate applique carved, shaped top rail
• Fan lower back
• Reclining & height adjustable mechanism
• Shaped scroll arms
• Elegant shaped arm supports
• Newly upholstered in sage green leather
• Splayed oak legs
• Replacement solid brass & mug castors (English made)
• Rotates 360 degrees
• Reclining back action
• Height adjustable
• Very comfortable
• Cleaned & serviced mechanism
• Golden oak colour
• Excellent original condition
• Free delivery to mainland England, Wales & southern Scotland*
• 14-day free UK returns policy
Description:
Here is a fine quality antique American Edwardian Art Nouveau solid oak revolving office desk arm chair, by Johnson Chair Company of Chicago, with a newly upholstered leather seat, and height adjustable mechanism, circa 1910, in excellent condition.
The armchair features a high back consisting of a tall curved bar back with applique foliate carvings, 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 sage green leather. The underside of the seat has been re-webbed in the traditional manner. The 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 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 armchair 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 Edwardian desk 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:
This Edwardian desk chair is in excellent condition. Nominal old use marks to the leading edges of the chair frame and seat but nothing significant considering the age of the item. 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 chair features a rich golden-brown oak colour, having been cleaned and French polished by hand, to a professional standard, in our workshops. The chair incorporates replacement English made solid brass & mug castors, which are in excellent condition. This item 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) = 110.7cm or 43⅝” or 3ft 7⅝”
External height (lowered) = 99cm or 39” or 3ft 3”
External width = 68.6cm or 27” or 2ft 3”
External depth = 68.6cm or 27” or 2ft 3”
Seat height (raised) = 62cm or 24½” or 2ft ½”
Seat height (lowered) = 48.7cm or 19⅛” or 1ft 7⅛”
Seat width (between arms) = 41.5cm or 16⅜” or 1ft 4⅜”
Seat width (to edge of seat) = 53.5cm or 21” or 1ft 9”
Seat Depth = 47.5cm or 18¾” or 1ft 6¾”
Arm height (raised) = 80cm or 31½” or 2ft 7½”
Arm height (lowered) = 68cm or 26¾” or 2ft 2¾”
Back height (from seat) = 56.2cm or 22⅛” or 1ft 10⅛”
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.
Ref. 45130