Edwardian Open Arm Chair
An edwardian open arm chair brings light-framed elegance and polished mahogany into a room.
Edwardian Open Arm Chair
When searching for an edwardian open arm chair, buyers find freestanding wooden seating designed for salons, desks, bedrooms, and occasional use. These pieces often feature exposed wooden frames with upholstered seats and backs, distinguishing them from fully stuffed armchairs.
Forms range from compact elbow chairs and library seating to larger Gainsborough styles and desk chairs. These seats reflect the lighter, more adaptable domestic tastes of the early twentieth century and late nineteenth century.
Materials and construction
Makers built these frames predominantly using solid mahogany and walnut, occasionally turning to oak for Arts and Crafts or vernacular pieces. Satinwood and contrasting stringing provided delicate inlay work on the crest rails and splats.
Upholstery techniques combined traditional webbing and springs with durable fabric or leather coverings. Joinery relied on mortise and tenon construction, reinforced by shaped arm supports and open framing.
Some chairs double as window seats or child-sized versions.
Distinctions in quality
Quality rests on the crispness of the timber carving and the precision of the marquetry inlay. Finer examples display carefully figured mahogany and balanced proportions that maintain structural strength despite open framing.
The integration of specific revival details, such as accurate Hepplewhite shield backs or hand-turned barley twist components, separates standard production seating from master-workshop commissions.
Howard and Sons·Liberty of London·Cornelius Smith·Thos Turner
The Edwardian Open Arm Chair Glossary
- Open arm chair
- A chair with arms that are not upholstered over solid panels, leaving the structural wooden supports visible. This design lightens the visual weight of the seating.
- Inlay
- A technique where pieces of contrasting timber, such as satinwood or lighter veneers, are fitted into recesses in the primary wood surface. It creates geometric or floral patterns.
- Carver
- A term used for an armchair, often matching a set of smaller dining chairs, positioned at the head of a table or used independently as an occasional seat.
- Gainsborough armchair
- A wide, low-seated chair with upholstered arms and back, standing on open legs. They frequently feature leather upholstery and originate from the eighteenth century through to later revivals.
- Marquetry
- Elaborate veneer work forming decorative pictures or patterns using various tinted woods. It appears frequently on Edwardian salon furniture.
Edwardian Open Arm Chair: Frequently Asked Questions
What is an edwardian open arm chair?
An edwardian open arm chair is a light wooden seat made around the turn of the twentieth century, featuring exposed arms and upholstered elements.
These chairs served multiple household roles, functioning as desk chairs, salon seating, or bedroom furniture.
How do I identify an edwardian open arm chair?
Look for light mahogany frames, often enhanced with satinwood inlay or stringing, reflecting Edwardian adaptations of Sheraton and Hepplewhite styles.
The scale tends to be less massive than Victorian furniture, favouring slender legs and open framework.
Where were these chairs used in a home?
They were placed in libraries, bedrooms as dressing chairs, and studies as desk chairs.
Smaller salon versions provided movable seating for entertaining guests in drawing rooms.
Are these chairs comfortable for daily use?
Many feature padded upholstered seats and supportive open armrests designed for reading or writing.
While less deep than heavy upholstered armchairs, their ergonomic posture suits desk work and occasional sitting.