Traditional Club Armchair
A traditional club armchair offers deep, sturdy seating designed for comfort, combining solid timber frames with upholstered fabric.
Identifying the Traditional Club Armchair
A traditional club armchair is a substantial seating form built for comfort and durability. The examples found here span the nineteenth century, the Regency period, the Edwardian era, and the nineteen-thirties.
The selection includes specific regional and stylistic variations such as library armchairs, open armchairs, tub armchairs, and Howard style pieces. These diverse forms reflect changing domestic tastes across different decades.
Makers and designers referenced in the listings include Howard and Sons alongside Woodstock style pieces. Buyers will encounter both pairs of armchairs and individual items finished in various fabrics.
Materials and Construction
These armchairs rely on timber frames constructed from mahogany and general wood components. Metal castors often support the base structure alongside brass elements.
Upholstery materials comprise standard fabric, woven fabric, and calico linings. Traditional workshops combined these textiles with sturdy wooden frameworks to ensure lasting support.
Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical UK retail prices for traditional club armchair, calculated from the Sellingantiques database of over a million retail prices indexed since 2003. This retail price guide relies exclusively on Sellingantiques data; no external sources or auction records are used, so the figures do not describe the wider market.
These stout armchairs have absorbed countless evening newspapers and pipes over the decades.
Distinguishing Quality
Quality in a traditional club armchair rests on the integrity of the timber frame and the precision of the joinery. Pieces featuring solid mahogany show superior craftsmanship compared to those made from simpler timber.
The sophistication of the upholstery work and the choice of covering materials dictate the overall refinement of the piece. Branded attribution to makers like Howard and Sons elevates the status of an armchair significantly.
Howard and Sons
The Traditional Club Armchair Glossary
- Library armchair
- A large, comfortable seat designed for reading rooms, typically featuring upholstered arms and a sturdy wooden frame. These pieces prioritise extended seating comfort.
- Tub armchair
- A seating form characterised by a continuous curved back and arms that form a single rounded enclosure. This style wraps around the sitter for added cosiness.
- Open armchair
- A seat featuring un-upholstered wooden arm supports that reveal the construction beneath. This design highlights the quality of the timber frame.
- Castor
- A small wheel fitted to the legs of furniture to allow easy movement across floor surfaces. They are frequently made of metal in these periods.
Frequently Asked Questions
What defines a traditional club armchair?
A traditional club armchair is a heavy, comfortable seat built around a timber frame and finished with deep upholstery.
Such pieces date from the nineteenth century through to the nineteen-thirties, encompassing styles like Edwardian and Regency.
How do I identify a Howard style armchair?
Howard style armchairs are recognised by their generous proportions and association with the firm Howard and Sons.
They often feature quality upholstery and careful attention to structural comfort.
Are these armchairs sold in pairs?
The listings include both individual armchairs and matched pairs from the early nineteen-hundreds.
Buyers can select single statement pieces or coordinated sets depending on available options.
What woods were used in these frames?
Frames are constructed from mahogany and general timber materials, sometimes paired with brass components.
Metal castors are also commonly integrated into the base construction for mobility.