Deep Seated Reading Chair
A deep seated reading chair offers generous proportions and upholstered comfort, designed for long hours with a book by the hearth.
Deep Seated Reading Chair
A deep seated reading chair is a substantial armchair built for comfort, frequently encountered in 19th century and Victorian forms across this selection. These pieces often carry stylistic influences from English country houses, featuring low seats and deep frames designed for relaxed postures.
The varieties span from button-backed library chairs upholstered in leather to large open armchairs with feather-filled cushions. Buyers frequently encounter Edwardian and Regency examples alongside Victorian interpretations, often referencing maker styles such as Howard and Sons.
Makers adapted these proportions for domestic libraries and drawing rooms, employing sturdy timber frames beneath heavy upholstery. The emphasis remains on physical depth and support rather than rigid formal posture.
What varies in quality
The integrity of the internal frame and the quality of the timber dictate the baseline merit of each piece. Hardwood frames that retain their original joinery without movement represent the upper tier of craftsmanship.
The execution of the upholstery work and the selection of covering materials, whether supple leather or heavy velvet, mark the distinction between standard production and superior workshop output. Original feather fillings and well-preserved buttoning further elevate the standing of an individual chair.
Some armchairs arrive with matching footstools, acknowledging that serious reading demands a fully extended posture.
Howard and Sons·Gillows
The Deep Seated Reading Chair Glossary
- Button back
- A traditional upholstery technique where deep buttons are pulled through the padding in a diamond pattern to secure the filling and create a tufted surface.
- Library armchair
- A sturdy, upholstered seat designed specifically for reading rooms, often featuring padded arms and a supportive back.
- Gainsborough chair
- A type of open-armed armchair with a wide seat and low back, originating in the mid-18th century and frequently revived in later periods.
- Hessian
- A coarse woven fabric, typically made from jute fibres, utilised as a hidden foundational layer beneath outer upholstery.
- Feather filled
- An interior stuffing method utilising natural plumage to provide a soft, yielding cushion for extended sitting.
Deep Seated Reading Chair: Frequently Asked Questions
What defines a deep seated reading chair?
A deep seated reading chair is characterised by an unusually generous seat depth and supportive upholstered arms, designed to allow the sitter to recline comfortably while reading.
These pieces typically date from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, reflecting the domestic comfort priorities of Victorian and Edwardian libraries and drawing rooms.
How do I identify a Victorian reading chair?
Victorian examples often feature dark hardwood frames, turned legs, and substantial upholstery such as deep-buttoned leather or heavy velvet. Many incorporate internal padding of horsehair or feathers.
Makers of this era frequently leaned towards substantial proportions and enclosed wing or spoon backs to retain warmth by the fire.
Were these chairs used only in libraries?
While often termed library or club chairs, these pieces served across country houses in studies, drawing rooms, and bedrooms wherever prolonged sitting took place.
Their robust construction and comfortable padding made them suitable for any primary living space within large nineteenth-century residences.
How should I care for leather upholstery?
Leather-upholstered chairs require regular dusting with a dry cloth and occasional treatment with a suitable leather conditioner to prevent drying and cracking.
Keep these pieces away from direct sunlight and heat sources to preserve the natural suppleness and colour of the hide over time.