How do I care for a rush seat?

Keep rush seated side chairs in rooms with stable humidity to prevent the natural fibre from becoming brittle or damp. Clean gently with a dry brush and avoid heavy liquid polishes that rot the cord. Place protective pads beneath the legs if your floors are uneven, ensuring the frame bears weight evenly without straining the woven base.

Can I use these chairs daily?

Most of these chairs were constructed for heavy kitchen and dining use, making them durable enough for modern seating if the joints remain secure. Elm and ash frames offer strong support for regular meals and gatherings. Check that the rungs and stretcher joints hold firm before placing heavy daily demands on eighteenth or nineteenth-century examples.

Are these chairs historically authentic?

The inventory includes marked workshop pieces and regional vernacular designs dating from the Georgian period through the Arts and Crafts movement. Materials align directly with the period of manufacture, utilising traditional timbers and hand-twisted cord. Examine the turning marks on the wood and the tightness of the weave to understand the manufacturing era and regional origin.

What is a harlequin set?

A harlequin set is a group of dining chairs that match in general style, timber, or period but were not originally manufactured together as a single batch. They share common aesthetic traits like ladder backs or rush seating while displaying slight individual variations in turning. This approach allows you to gather a complete dining set of period chairs that harmonize around a table without requiring an identical factory pair.