Ladderback chair images
Most of these ladderback chairs are the well-known design that was influenced by the architect James MacLaren, and became popular amongst the Arts & Crafts Movement. Until now (2016), any precedent for MacLaren's design was unknown amongst Clissett's surviving work. But a lucky find has given us a Clissett ladderback that could well be a precursor and, in any case, makes a close link with a similar chair made by Clissett's uncle, John Warrender. This interesting chair is illustrated below the main block of ladderbacks.
The full known range of Clissett's adult-sized "Arts & Crafts" ladderback chairs is shown below. The most obvious variations are in the number of slats in the back of the chair; the four-slat chairs seem to be very rare. Also illustrated here are the two different arm-support turnings that can be seen on chairs at the Art Workers Guild (I've seen only the rarer one once outside of the AWG). Note that the three-slat side chairs are much smaller chairs overall than the five-rung side chairs; the latter are much the same size as the armchairs. In contrast to the spindleback chairs, there are far fewer variants of the ladderbacks. Some additional images are included to show Clissett's ladderback chair in historic locations.
The full known range of Clissett's adult-sized "Arts & Crafts" ladderback chairs is shown below. The most obvious variations are in the number of slats in the back of the chair; the four-slat chairs seem to be very rare. Also illustrated here are the two different arm-support turnings that can be seen on chairs at the Art Workers Guild (I've seen only the rarer one once outside of the AWG). Note that the three-slat side chairs are much smaller chairs overall than the five-rung side chairs; the latter are much the same size as the armchairs. In contrast to the spindleback chairs, there are far fewer variants of the ladderbacks. Some additional images are included to show Clissett's ladderback chair in historic locations.
See "Special chairs" for a child's version of the "Arts & Crafts" ladderback armchair, and for two versions of a child's ladderback high chair.
Distinguishing Clissett's ladderback chairs from Edward Gardiner's
Copies of these chairs were made by Edward Gardiner from about 1920 onwards, and these are often confused with Clissett's chairs, and vice versa. Fortunately, they are easy to distinguish. A simple guide is offered here that should allow anyone to easily separate Clissett's chairs from Gardiner's - download guide.
Distinguishing Clissett's ladderback chairs from Edward Gardiner's
Copies of these chairs were made by Edward Gardiner from about 1920 onwards, and these are often confused with Clissett's chairs, and vice versa. Fortunately, they are easy to distinguish. A simple guide is offered here that should allow anyone to easily separate Clissett's chairs from Gardiner's - download guide.
Unusual ladderbacks
These three chairs are real anomalies. Until the timber-seated chair was discovered (quite recently by Paul Shutler), it was thought that Clissett never made ladderbacks before his interaction with James MacLaren in 1886. The first chair questions that very strongly and, while it's impossible to date such chairs without a bill of sale, it may well pre-date the meeting with MacLaren. Indeed, it's easy to imagine him using this chair as a basis for his version of the ladderback, exaggerating the proportions of the slats to produce something a little more elegant.
The second chair is difficult to explain. It's smaller than normal, and the slats have different proportions to any other of Clissett's ladderback. In addition, the slats are shaped from the back rather than from the front. Very odd!
The third has some similarities to the first, though the slats appear to be identical to those on MacLaren-influenced chairs. It's unusual for all sorts of reasons, not least because of the heavy feet which appear to have had castors attached in the past, and may well have been designed specifically for that purpose.
The second chair is difficult to explain. It's smaller than normal, and the slats have different proportions to any other of Clissett's ladderback. In addition, the slats are shaped from the back rather than from the front. Very odd!
The third has some similarities to the first, though the slats appear to be identical to those on MacLaren-influenced chairs. It's unusual for all sorts of reasons, not least because of the heavy feet which appear to have had castors attached in the past, and may well have been designed specifically for that purpose.
© T.A. Rowell 2017
