Spindleback chairs
All these adult-sized chairs are stamped "PC" on the tops of the back uprights. We see here a progression from the impressive six-spindle high-backed armchair, through less complex armchairs, to a range of side chairs that match the armchairs. In addition is a range of side chairs with the broad top rail replaced by a dowel; these may have been a cheaper range. No armchairs are known with the dowel top rail.... (continued below)
Chair components and materials vary as follows. All chairs are constructed in ash with elm seats or woven rush seats, unless otherwise stated. Other timbers were sometimes used for arms and the wide type of top rail - these include cherry, walnut and laburnum. Poplar seats are known. At least four spindle designs are illustrated here, though one was most commonly used. There may well be others. Two different stretcher configurations were used in the armchairs, but only one type appears to have been used used in side chairs. The fanciest style of side chair (no 10) is unusual in having a single pattern-turned front stretcher, instead of the usual plain pair. The equivalent armchair (no 21) has a single plain front stretcher.
We can also discern two different designs of frieze (plain or shaped), three types of front legs (plain or ring-turned wth more or less rings), and four types of arm (heavy or light, and plain or ball-ended, with the ball where the arm is mortised into the back leg). All known designs have vase-turned feet to the front legs, though these are well-worn or cut down in some cases. On armchairs, where there are two dowel cross bars in the lower back, these seem to vary in height relative to the arms. They may have been varied according to the original owner. Certainly, they can be quite uncomfortable in my experience.
The arm support turning on armchairs is generally consistent, except in no 3a which has the tapered turning familiar from Clissett's ladderback armchairs. This hybridisation, between what were previously considered to be standard Clissett designs, is beginning to be documented. See also "Special chairs" for a child's spindleback high chair that is a further example of a spindleback with similar arm supports.
Rocking chairs seem to be a special case, at least amongst those identified so far. The overall chair height is similar to standard side chairs (about 34 inches, or 87cm), but the legs are shorter and the back longer. A 4-rung ladderback side chair with similar dimensions is also known. These lower chairs may be intended for nursing, or for children - the seat height is identical to chairs known to have been made by Clissett especially for children (see "Special chairs"). Attention is drawn to chair no 19 which appears to have original rockers which are shaped like Clissett's fancy friezes (see chair no 18, for example).
I've attempted to order the images to reflect chair groupings using principal features such as seat material and spindle design. The text with each image details the more minor differences.
If you know of any Clissett spindleback designs that are not illustrated here, please contact us with details.
We can also discern two different designs of frieze (plain or shaped), three types of front legs (plain or ring-turned wth more or less rings), and four types of arm (heavy or light, and plain or ball-ended, with the ball where the arm is mortised into the back leg). All known designs have vase-turned feet to the front legs, though these are well-worn or cut down in some cases. On armchairs, where there are two dowel cross bars in the lower back, these seem to vary in height relative to the arms. They may have been varied according to the original owner. Certainly, they can be quite uncomfortable in my experience.
The arm support turning on armchairs is generally consistent, except in no 3a which has the tapered turning familiar from Clissett's ladderback armchairs. This hybridisation, between what were previously considered to be standard Clissett designs, is beginning to be documented. See also "Special chairs" for a child's spindleback high chair that is a further example of a spindleback with similar arm supports.
Rocking chairs seem to be a special case, at least amongst those identified so far. The overall chair height is similar to standard side chairs (about 34 inches, or 87cm), but the legs are shorter and the back longer. A 4-rung ladderback side chair with similar dimensions is also known. These lower chairs may be intended for nursing, or for children - the seat height is identical to chairs known to have been made by Clissett especially for children (see "Special chairs"). Attention is drawn to chair no 19 which appears to have original rockers which are shaped like Clissett's fancy friezes (see chair no 18, for example).
I've attempted to order the images to reflect chair groupings using principal features such as seat material and spindle design. The text with each image details the more minor differences.
If you know of any Clissett spindleback designs that are not illustrated here, please contact us with details.
© T.A. Rowell 2020
