Edwardian Occasional Armchair
These edwardian occasional armchair pieces bring lighter proportions and delicate inlay to the sitting room.
Edwardian Occasional Armchair
An edwardian occasional armchair is a light, movable seat designed to supplement primary seating in parlours, bedrooms, and drawing rooms during the early twentieth century. These chairs frequently appear from the Edwardian period, alongside related Victorian, nineteenth-century, and twentieth-century examples.
The forms span tub chairs, elbow chairs, corner chairs, salon chairs, and rocking chairs, often constructed in mahogany, walnut, oak, beech, or fruitwood. Many pieces incorporate decorative styles such as Sheraton Revival, Arts and Crafts, and Art Nouveau alongside standard Edwardian designs.
How they were made
Makers constructed these chairs primarily using solid hardwoods like mahogany and walnut, frequently enhancing surfaces with satinwood inlay, string inlay, and marquetry. Wood frames support padded seats upholstered in fabric or velvet, sometimes featuring button back detailing.
Joinery methods relied on traditional cabinetmaking techniques to maintain structural integrity while keeping the frames sufficiently light for easy relocation around a room.
Certain rocking chairs ensure that even a formal Edwardian parlour permitted gentle indoor motion.
What varies in quality
Quality separates through the crispness of the carved details and the precision of the wood inlay work embedded into the mahogany or walnut frames. Finer examples display superior timber selection and more harmonious proportions between the open arms and the upholstered seat.
The integrity of the original frame construction and the subtlety of decorative flourishes like marquetry or hand-painted motifs distinguish standard utility seating from finer salon pieces.
Jenks & Wood
The Edwardian Occasional Armchair Glossary
- Occasional chair
- A light, easily movable seat intended for periodic use rather than permanent placement around a dining table. These chairs often fill corners or supplement seating during gatherings.
- Elbow chair
- A seating form featuring short arms designed to support the user's elbows while seated upright. They frequently serve as desk or salon chairs.
- Inlay
- A decorative technique where contrasting woods or materials like satinwood are inserted into recesses cut into the primary wood surface. This creates flat patterns and geometric stringing.
- Tub chair
- An upholstered armchair with a rounded, curved back that encloses the sitter in a continuous semi-circle. They provide a compact and supportive seating option.
- Marquetry
- An elaborate form of inlay utilising thin veneers of various woods to form pictorial or decorative motifs across a panel. It appears on select tabletops and chair backs.
Edwardian Occasional Armchair: Frequently Asked Questions
Where were these chairs used?
These chairs served as movable seating in parlours, bedrooms, dressing rooms, and home offices.
Their lightweight frames allowed occupants to shift them easily to windows, hearths, or desks as needed.
How do I identify an Edwardian chair?
Edwardian chairs typically display lighter proportions, simpler lines than heavy Victorian furniture, and frequent use of mahogany with satinwood inlay.
They draw inspiration from earlier periods like the Sheraton Revival while maintaining the refined domestic aesthetic of the early twentieth century.
What is an elbow chair?
An elbow chair is a compact armchair featuring short arms that terminate before reaching the front of the seat.
They provided comfortable seating at a desk or dressing table without taking up the floor space of a large library armchair.
How do I care for velvet upholstery?
Velvet upholstery requires gentle brushing to maintain the pile and prevent flattening over time.
Keep these fabrics away from direct sunlight to preserve the depth of colours such as orange or pink.