Are there any holes or is there a channel for press in caning?

I think the seat was probably originally caned.

Looks like it's put in with a came in a channel.....easy peasy to redo!
I agree, the seat was probably caned as well but had been nocely redone.....and a tie on cushion would work well.
Linda C

There is a channel about 5 millimeters wide.

{{!gwi}}

I am in love with this chair. Can you ask what kind of caning it had before? You can probably look under the seat and see if it was originally caning, but they tend to sag more than backs, so I'd leave the seat as is.

Otherwise, the classic, first caning in your link would probably look best. I'd have it stained to more match the wood.

The W903, the fourth one. The smaller scale mesh is better suited to this small area.

marg -- Thanks! I am too. It's beautiful. Grandma said, "it had holes," and she thinks the seat base is original (underneath has nothing but corner supports for the base.) I suppose "holes" means mesh.

Grandma was born in 1937, the youngest of her siblings........ Does this chair look early-mid 1930s? She assumes her parents got it after they got married.

Thanks all for suggestions/comments. cloudy_christine - I appreciate the suggestion on the scale. :)

From your last picture it does not look like it was hand caned. If it had been hand caned, there would be holes drilled all the way through. With just the channel and no holes, it looks like it would be caning that was stretched across and then a band pressed into the channel to hold the caning. It will be much easier to cane than hand caned.

mary_lu ..... You're right. It has a grove/channel without holes. I need to get a pre-caned mat and some spline/band. There are some wonderful instructional videos on youtube on how to do it....... Thanks, everyone.

I would put in the 3/8 inch open caning.
You can't "stain" cane. It's the outside of a stem like bamboo and won't take stain. It darkens naturally with age.
I am older than your grandmother!! That chair was a generation older than your grandmother....more like 1910 to 1920.
The clue to caning with premade cane and a came for the edge is wedges to hold the cane in the groove. They need to be blunted at the leading edge so they don't cut the wet cane when you push theme into the groove and with a wide enough angle so they hold the cane snugly while you stretch the other edge.
Good luck!!
Linda C

I agree to Linda C's dates. I just know when I saw the chair, my heart beat faster, and I gasped, and that signals, to me-LOL, AGE.

marg, LOL! :) I thought the same thing when I saw it...... collecting dust in grandma's basement (sad!)

Lindac... Thanks for the date info and 3/8 suggestion. I wish we knew the history of the chair more than we do, but I love knowing most of it. I found someone locally who does caning. Assuming the price is low, I am more comfortable with someone experienced doing this chair since it's important to DH's family. I know I could handle it, but I'd rather practice on another piece.

We have many old/antique chairs - I think yours is atleast 1900, possibly earlier.

If you have the chance find an antique dealer locally and/or a chair restorer who can give you good information. We are very fortunate to have a local guy (within 50 miles) who lovingly restores chairs.

You can also phone Franks. VERY helpful people there had me send pix of my chairs and knew exactly what I needed. Unbelievably helpful, especially for an order that was under $10.

A+++++