Swiss Folk Art Fruitwood Escabelle Hall Chairs, 1840, Set of 2

Details

Description

Dating from the 19th century, this wonderfully charming pair of Swiss escabelle chairs are particularly appealing examples of provincial folk … Read more Dating from the 19th century, this wonderfully charming pair of Swiss escabelle chairs are particularly appealing examples of provincial folk furniture, with their unusual sculptural backs and beautifully simple construction giving them enormous character.

Constructed from fruitwood, which we believe to be pear, they have developed a superb mellow colour and rich surface over many years, with plenty of natural figuring, old marks, stains, scratches and imperfections throughout. These signs of age are very much part of their appeal and give the chairs a wonderfully honest, untouched appearance.

The most distinctive feature is undoubtedly the pair of tall shaped backs, each cut from a substantial piece of timber and incorporating bold pierced decoration, which also acts as a handle, towards the top. Their wonderfully simple, almost abstract form gives them the strong folk art character which makes chairs of this type so decorative, whilst the solid seats are raised on four elegant splayed, turned and faceted legs.

The term escabelle translates literally as a footstool or footrest, but within the world of antique furniture it has long been used to describe chairs of this distinctive type, traditionally associated with the Swiss Alpine regions. Numerous examples survive from the later 19th and early 20th centuries, however earlier 19th century examples are considerably harder to find and generally possess a much greater degree of individuality and character.

Of course their form is also very similar to what we would more commonly describe in England as hall chairs and, amongst a myriad of possible uses, this pair would indeed make particularly attractive hall chairs in the modern home. Equally, their unusual silhouette, wonderful colour and strong decorative appeal allow them to work extremely well simply as occasional chairs positioned individually around the home.

Circa 1840.

Height 35.5in.
Width 16.5in.
Depth 14in.

Seat Height 17.75in. See less