Striped Upholstered Fireside Chair
A striped upholstered fireside chair is a comfortable seat designed for warmth and repose, bringing patterned textile and traditional form into a room.
Striped Upholstered Fireside Chair
A striped upholstered fireside chair covers several historical periods, most notably the Victorian era and the Edwardian period, alongside revival styles like Queen Anne and Georgian. These armchairs take various forms including wing armchairs, low arm chairs, ladies chairs, and bergere armchairs.
You will frequently meet Victorian and Edwardian examples on this page, often constructed as oversized open armchairs or button back chairs. The seating ranges from compact bedroom chairs to substantial library armchairs and pairs of chairs.
Origin and design span French Chateau and Napoleon III pieces alongside British and American variations, such as the American Stars and Stripes Victorian wing arm chair. Each piece offers distinct wooden framing beneath its textile covering.
How they were made
Makers built the structural frames of these armchairs using hardwoods such as mahogany, walnut, and rosewood, sometimes incorporating inlay or carved showwood. Brass elements and other metals appeared in castors or structural fixings.
Upholstery relies on textiles including cotton and hessian beneath the outer fabric cover. Frames received traditional joining techniques suited to the period, supporting sprung or padded seats.
Listings feature items framed in mahogany, walnut, and rosewood, incorporating textiles like cotton and hessian across nineteenth century and Edwardian eras.
What varies in quality
The refinement of the showwood carving and the selection of cabinet timbers set individual chairs apart. Dense walnut and figured mahogany indicate better underlying stock than plain secondary woods.
Proportion and execution of revival styles dictate the character of the piece, from simple bedroom chairs to heavily carved Victorian lady chairs and large wing armchairs.
The Striped Upholstered Fireside Chair Glossary
- Bergere
- An enclosed upholstered armchair with wooden framing and cane or upholstered sides. French examples frequently showcase this classic seating form.
- Wing armchair
- A high backed seat with side panels designed to shield the sitter from drafts. These appear across Victorian, Georgian style, and Edwardian periods.
- Hessian
- A coarse woven fabric traditionally used as foundation stuffing and webbing support beneath outer upholstery. It anchors the internal padding of older chairs.
- Button back
- An upholstery method where depressions are formed in the padding by stitching buttons through to the frame. This creates a diamond quilted textile surface.
Striped Upholstered Fireside Chair: Frequently Asked Questions
What periods do these chairs come from?
The selection spans the nineteenth century up to the nineteen-twenties, incorporating Victorian and Edwardian manufacturing dates.
Revival styles also draw on earlier aesthetics like Queen Anne, Georgian, and Regency designs.
How do I identify a wing armchair?
Wing armchairs feature characteristic high backs with projecting side panels intended originally to retain heat by the hearth.
They appear in Victorian and later revival forms across the inventory.
What woods are used in the frames?
Makers utilised solid hardwoods such as walnut, mahogany, and rosewood for structural frames and visible showwood elements.
These timbers provided the necessary strength for heavily padded seating.
Are pairs of chairs available?
The listings include matching pairs of Napoleon III armchairs, French bergere chairs, and late nineteenth century walnut wing armchairs.
Matched seating offers symmetry for formal sitting rooms and libraries.