Armchair and Side Chairs
Armchair and side chairs bring together individual seating and matched dining sets across multiple periods from mahogany to oak.
Materials and construction
Timber selection forms the foundation of these chairs, with solid and veneered mahogany, oak, walnut and beech providing structural integrity and distinct grain patterns.
Upholstery relies on traditional fabrics, leather, velvet and brass detailing to finish seat pads and back panels on armchairs and salon seats.
Judgements of quality
Quality separates through the crispness of carved detail on walnut and mahogany frames, from plain rails to elaborate shield backs and ladder backs.
The integrity of original timber surfaces and the matching consistency across larger sets of dining chairs dictate the standing of individual pieces.
Listings feature mahogany, oak, walnut, beech and maple timbers across Victorian, Edwardian, Regency and Art Deco periods.
Warings·Maple and Co
The Armchair and Side Chairs Glossary
- Carver
- An armchair designed with armrests, traditionally placed at the heads of dining tables alongside matching single side chairs.
- Shield back
- A chair back shaped in the outline of a heraldic shield, popular in eighteenth-century and revival dining chair designs.
- Salon chair
- A light, decorative occasional chair intended for reception rooms and parlours rather than heavy daily dining use.
- Ladder back
- A chair back featuring multiple horizontal wooden slats resembling the rungs of a ladder, common in oak dining chairs.
Armchair and Side Chairs: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a carver chair?
A carver chair is an armchair traditionally used alongside matching single side chairs at a dining table.
These pieces typically provide armrests for the head of the table while maintaining a consistent style with the rest of the dining set.
How do I care for antique upholstery?
Antique upholstery requires gentle cleaning methods suited to leather, fabric or velvet materials.
Keeping seating away from direct sunlight and excessive heat preserves both the covering and the internal padding.
Are dining chairs sold as sets?
Dining chairs appear both as matched sets of six, eight or ten pieces and as individual pairs or single armchairs.
Sets frequently combine single side chairs with matching armchairs for head-of-table placement.
Which woods appear most often?
Mahogany, oak and walnut dominate the timber choices across these nineteenth and early twentieth century listings.
Beech and maple also appear in specific regional or period chair designs.