Edwardian Deep Seated Chair
An edwardian deep seated chair offers generous proportions and low-slung comfort, making it a staple of relaxed domestic seating.
Edwardian Deep Seated Chair
An edwardian deep seated chair is built for lounging, featuring low profiles, padded arms, and sprung seats designed to envelope the sitter. The selection includes examples in the Howard style, library chairs, and club chairs spanning the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Buyers frequently encounter pieces upholstered in calico, velvet, hessian, or leather, often reflecting English country house aesthetics. Forms range from low armchair variants to slipper chairs and matching sofa suites.
How they were made
Frames are constructed from sturdy timbers such as mahogany, walnut, oak, and general hardwood, providing a rigid internal skeleton for heavy upholstery. Brass castors often support the legs, allowing easy movement across heavy carpets.
Traditional stuffing utilises materials like horsehair and wool webbed over coiled steel springs, creating a resilient core that softens over decades of use.
Many comfortable armchairs carry invisible stamps on their brass castors, revealing the workshop that signed off on the seating.
What varies in quality
The integrity of the internal spring suspension and the density of the traditional stuffing dictate the longevity and support of the seat. Superior examples retain firm lumbar support and even springing without sagging.
Cabinetmaking quality shows in the choice of timber frame construction and the subtlety of carved or turned details on exposed wooden legs and arm supports.
Howard and Sons·Gillows·Trollope and Sons·Sopwith·SF Cullen
The Edwardian Deep Seated Chair Glossary
- Calico
- A plain-woven cotton fabric used as the inner underlining on upholstered seating before the top cover is applied.
- Hessian
- A coarse woven fabric, typically made from jute fibres, used for traditional webbing and stuffing containment.
- Bergere
- A type of enclosed upholstered armchair with a cane or wicker panelled back and sides.
- Castor
- A small wheel mounted on a swivel attached to the foot of a chair leg for mobility.
Edwardian Deep Seated Chair: Frequently Asked Questions
What defines an edwardian deep seated chair?
These seats are characterised by low-slung proportions, generous depth, and sprung upholstery designed for relaxed lounging rather than upright posture.
They frequently appear in country house settings and share DNA with nineteenth-century club and Howard style armchairs.
How do I care for leather upholstery?
Leather requires occasional conditioning to maintain suppleness and prevent the hide from drying out or cracking over time.
Keep these chairs away from direct heat sources and strong sunlight to preserve the natural tone of the material.
Can I use modern fabric for reupholstery?
Traditional frames accept a wide variety of contemporary textiles, provided the weight suits the scale of the piece.
Many buyers choose heavy velvets or durable wovens that complement the substantial build of the frame.
How do I distinguish Howard style chairs?
Howard and Sons pieces and their derivatives are recognised by low rolled arms, casters stamped with maker details, and deep sprung seats.
They often start life in calico before receiving decorative outer covers.