French Style Armchair Pair
A french style armchair pair brings balanced symmetry and historic seating to a room, offering matched woodwork and period upholstery.
French Style Armchair Pair
A french style armchair pair consists of matching seats designed for symmetrical placement in a drawing room or salon. These chairs follow historic design traditions, most commonly drawing on the curved lines of Louis XV revival models or the geometric restraint of Louis XVI styles.
The selection ranges from open-armed walnut fauteuils to enclosed bergere chairs with upholstered sides and plush cushions. Examples span the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, encompassing gilded baroque throne chairs, painted salon seats, and mahogany empire designs.
Materials and Construction
Frames are constructed from structural hardwoods such as walnut, oak, and mahogany, alongside softer beech and decorative giltwood or painted finishes. Carvers shaped these timbers by hand into elaborate scrolls, leaf motifs, and structural mouldings depending on the chosen period style.
Upholstery techniques involve traditional stuffing secured over webbing, finished with textiles ranging from antique silk and velvet to tapestry and split cane panels. Brass tacks and gimp braid frequently secure the fabric edges to the carved wooden frames.
Listings feature walnut, mahogany, oak, and beech frames, often accented with giltwood, brass, and hand-woven silk or tapestry upholstery.
Assessing Quality
Quality rests primarily in the crispness and depth of the timber carving, where handmade depth outperforms shallow mechanical shaping. Solid joints and heavy structural timbers distinguish substantial seating from lighter decorative frames.
The choice of covering material and the precision of the upholstery work also dictate distinction. Original hand-woven tapestries, pure silks, and well-preserved gilt finishes elevate the status of a matched pair significantly.
Jacob Desmalter
The French Style Armchair Pair Glossary
- Fauteuil
- An open-framed upholstered armchair originating in France, typically featuring exposed wood around the arms and back. These chairs are designed for formal reception rooms.
- Bergere
- An enclosed upholstered armchair featuring solid sides filled with upholstery or cane work. They usually include a loose upholstered seat cushion for comfort.
- Giltwood
- Timber coated with a thin layer of gold leaf or metallic paint over a prepared ground. This finish provides a bright reflective surface popular in formal nineteenth-century revivals.
- Crapaud
- A low, heavily upholstered armchair style with enclosed sides. The name translates to toad, reflecting its squat profile.
French Style Armchair Pair: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a bergere armchair?
A bergere is a closed-arm French chair featuring upholstered sides or woven cane panels. It usually includes a loose seat cushion.
These chairs offer a deeper seat than open armchairs, making them suited for relaxed seating.
Are these chairs comfortable for daily use?
Many period armchairs provide firm support through traditional horsehair or spring stuffing. Their proportions suit upright sitting rather than lounging.
Modern comfort depends on the condition of the internal webbing and padding.
How do I clean giltwood frames?
Giltwood requires dusting with a very soft, dry brush to protect the delicate gold leaf layer. Moisture and chemical cleaners damage the metallic surface.
Maintenance should focus entirely on preventing abrasion to the gilded finish.