Floral Tub Chair
A floral tub chair brings upholstered comfort and classic curves to a room, offering supportive wraparound seating with distinct period charm.
Floral Tub Chair
A floral tub chair takes its name from the rounded, curving back that wraps around the sitter in a continuous line from the arms. These seats appear across the nineteenth century and into the Edwardian period, often taking the form of boudoir chairs, salon armchairs, or compact easy chairs. Makers fashioned them from mahogany, beech, and ebonised timber, frequently applying inlay or original paint.
Buyers looking for this style encounter pieces ranging from Victorian shell back armchairs to Sheraton Revival inlaid salon chairs and French Louis XVI style bergere models. Some examples arrive ready for re-upholstery, whilst others retain intact fabric upholstery or showwood frames. The form serves well as an accent chair or as part of a small boudoir suite alongside matching seating.
How they were made
Cabinet makers constructed the frames using solid timbers such as mahogany, satinwood, and beech, shaping the curved backs to create the characteristic tub silhouette. They enriched many surfaces with intricate boxwood and bone inlay, delicate marquetry, or retained original paint finishes.
Upholsterers built up the sprung or padded seats within the sheltering wooden shells, covering them in fabric, velvet, or specialised boudoir textiles. Brass details occasionally appear on castors or decorative mounts, completing the construction of these nineteenth-century and Edwardian seats.
Floral Tub Chair Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for floral tub chair among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
One tiny nineteenth-century armchair carries a mysterious stamped maker mark reading simply CVS, keeping its true workshop origins delightfully secret.
What varies in quality
The refinement of the timber framework and the precision of the inlay set finer examples apart from simpler utilitarian seating. Pieces featuring crisp marquetry, subtle bone and boxwood details, or untouched original paint demonstrate greater workshop skill than plain frames.
The integrity of the showwood structure and the condition of the carved or ebonised surfaces dictate the standing of an individual chair. Surviving suites and matched pairs also hold distinct structural interest compared to solitary stray seating.
The Floral Tub Chair Glossary
- Tub chair
- An armchair featuring a low, curved back that flows directly into the arms to form a continuous rounded enclosure.
- Bergere
- A French style of upholstered armchair with an enclosed wooden frame and cane or fabric sides.
- Marquetry
- Decorative patterns formed by fitting together thin slices of various woods and other materials onto a surface.
- Showwood
- Timber framework left visible around the upholstered portions of a chair to display the grain and carving.
- Boudoir suite
- A matched set of small seating furniture designed for a private sitting room or bedroom.
Floral Tub Chair: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a tub chair?
A tub chair is an upholstered seat characterised by a rounded, semi-circular back that encloses the sitter and merges directly into the armrests. This design prioritizes comfort and supportive containment.
Such chairs emerged in various formats throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, serving as boudoir chairs, salon seating, or compact library armchairs.
How do I date a tub chair?
Dating relies on examining the timber species, decorative techniques like boxwood inlay or marquetry, and the overall stylistic traits. Victorian pieces often display heavier ebonised mahogany and shell backs.
Edwardian examples tend to feature lighter satinwood, delicate marquetry, or boudoir styling typical of the early twentieth century.
Where should I place a floral tub chair?
These compact chairs suit bedrooms, dressing rooms, or corners of a living room where space is limited but seating is needed. Their curved profiles allow them to sit comfortably angled in small areas.
They also function effectively as standalone accent pieces alongside larger sofas or alongside matching suite components.
What is a settee and chair suite?
A suite consists of a matching settee and one or more armchairs designed with identical wood types, upholstery styles, and decorative motifs. These groupings were popular in Edwardian boudoirs and salons.
Finding a complete suite offers a cohesive aesthetic for furnishing a unified reception space or bedroom seating area.