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This is a Victorian child's chair in our guest bedroom. It's for clothes and suchlike, not for sitting.
Antiques usually have something to say about their times and in the case of this chair I think it's particularly obvious. I'm not thinking of the Aesthetic Movement style here, but rather the basic design.
Firstly there are no stretchers for little George or Georgina to climb on and off the chair themselves. The chair does not encourage that degree of independence.
Secondly there are neither arm rests nor footrest. George or Georgina have to sit up straight with their legs dangling into space or they will fall off. No wriggling around, no stretching across the table for an extra slice of cake.
Ah - those soft-hearted Victorians.
5 comments:
I suppose it is to enable a child to sit at the dining table - and dare I suggest use a knife and fork. Or is it sufficiently tall and wobbly to be a naughty chair.
Would there have been fish knives in that household I wonder, possibly yes, in posher houses (sans fish knives) children dined in the nursery until the boys at least were shoved off to school.
But what a beautifully made piece of furniture!
No elbows on the table with that sort of artistry!
Roger - yes it probably is designed for them to use knives and forks at the dining table. Possibly aimed at the middle classes who did not run to a separate nursery.
Michael - yes, it's solid mahogany and quite a weight.
I am Sparta.
James - I'm not :)
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