SHOP PRODUCTS
Houzz Logo Print
webuser_90755

Need help identifying a chair I have.

B.&S. is apparently the company which made this chair and Majestic Furniture Co. sold it (I guess- someone told me this on this houzz site)
I am trying to find out anything about the value of it.
Any suggestions of where I could find out more about the company that made it?



Comments (23)

  • 7 years ago

    Pretty Windsor chair, here's one similar on First Dibs (this site usually prices things high). Yours looks nicer.

    Windsor on 1st Dibs

  • 7 years ago

    Thank you. Yes, I have already seen that one on 1st Dibs but am finding it difficult to accept that it may be in the same category. $12,000? I could never be so lucky. (also, mine is more ornate at certain spots of the chair)
    I am making some assumptions that it is a reproduction of some type but would like to be certain before I sell it for some paltry sum.


    I appreciate your response.

  • 7 years ago

    That's a very, very, VERY nice chair! Obviously made in England...or at least in Europe somewhere. The Barley twist turnings say very loudly to me late 19th century England. Check for UK furniture makers.....might be Scottish.

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Someone had fun with the lathe! That's lovely.

    the search words are : barley twist high back Windsor chair

    Can you show a closeup of the upper back, front and back sides? The way they did the carving might help pin down a date.


    ADDING: Where are you, and where did you get the chair?

  • 7 years ago
    Are any of you furniture makers or antique appraisers?
    My husband was telling me to get it appraised.
    The label on it says 20th century to me.
    I believe it is a reproduction of some kind. the only way to know for sure is to have it appraised.
    Nuts!
    I hate to pay $100 to find out it's worth $100.
    Know what I mean?
  • 7 years ago

    I will guarantee it is worth well more than $100. I am very leery of "antiques appraisers"...what do they know that you can't know your self if you do the research? And with the internet it's not hard to do.
    Why do you want to know? For insurance? Or do you want to sell it?
    If you want to sell it consign it to a high end auction house.
    Let's see the whole bottom....and a side view to see the rake of the back legs...and the top of that arm to see how the spindles are inserted.
    Is there a possibility that the lable came from a company that refinished it some time in the 20th century?
    If it is a reproduction it is a very high quality repro....and well worth more than $100. Look at the shaped seat....the comb back....the deeply turned barley twist spindles and the chippendale style knee and foot on the front legs.
    it's a very fine chair!

  • 7 years ago

    And is there any evidence of wear on the tops of the arms...where your hands would go?

  • 7 years ago


    Hi Faith, these are the things that I look for in an American Windsor. The more spindles the better, also the legs come through the seat and are socketed (white arrows). That is a sign of quality. This one is from Duckloe Bros, about 30 years old. Typical of these windsors are many kinds of wood, poplar seat, hickory spindles, maple legs, ash arms. That chair is as solid as the day I bought it. I would call your arm chair a comb-back, imported Windsor, can't tell you much more.

  • 7 years ago

    I agree....it's from "over the pond"....guessing somewhere in great britan.

    Faith Mitchell Pappano thanked lindac92
  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Here is an answer for a person that questioned a B & S chair 5 years ago. Doesn't give any info on B & S,but I think you'll find it interesting.

    Ask an Expert Antiques

    "Here is what I found for you , the Chair was Sold by the B & S
    Furniture Company in New York sometime in the early 1900's, the Chair
    was Upholstered by Lord and Taylor from 12th and Broadway, New York.
    They were in business in New York. I found an ad for their Upholstery
    and Fabric Business in a Magazine that was in business from 1871-1918.
    Published in New York. I also found that these small Queen Ann Style
    Chairs were advertised as, Petit Queen Ann Side Chair. I am almost sure
    yours is Mahogany from what I see in the picture. They were made for
    women to be more comfortable while sitting. They are currently selling
    on the market ( cost replacement ) for around 400.00 to 425.00.
    Depending on the condition ( which yours is great ) and where they are
    for sale at. Typically Antique Shops get higher prices.

    If
    you are thinking of selling, I would check with your local Antique
    Shops in the area to see what yours or one like it would sell for or has
    sold for. As antiques and collectibles are subject in selling price to
    different areas across the country. They may sell higher on the west
    coast, then say in the mid west or the south. So be sure to check your
    local area. This will give you an idea of what it goes for in your area,
    then you can decide to sell locally or at one of the online markets."

    This was their chair -

    Here is another B &S chair question and answer from the same site - In this one, she says "The B & S Co Label is actually the name of the company that made the label on the chair."

    http://www.justanswer.com/antiques/70sjx-windsor-style-rocking-chair-b-s-co-label.html

    Faith Mitchell Pappano thanked My3dogs ME zone 5A
  • 7 years ago




    Sorry, the chair is filthy with dust....

  • 7 years ago

    It's sure made of oak....at least it looks like oak to me......and very finely made....and I see little wear.
    Can we see a picture of a side view of the whole chair? I want to see the angle of how the legs relate to the seat.


    Faith Mitchell Pappano thanked lindac92
  • 7 years ago

    And the WHOLE top of the comb - I want to see the curvy end. The carving looks like a combination of machine drilling with hand finishing, which is a good method.

    The legs are embedded into the seat and planed smooth, and the arms are pegged into the spindles ... both signs of better construction. The seat looks like one slab, shaped to be comfy.

    What Linda wants to see is the "rake" - the way the back legs slant outwards from the seat. It's harder to do than squared straight legs, but makes a more elegant and sturdier chair.

    Like this chair -



    I wouldn't call your chair a "reproduction" as much as a well-made chair in a form that was invented in the 1600s when tools made the spindles possible. They were so comfortable they really never went out of style.

    My totally wild guess would be early 20th century, when the colonial revival was peaking in the USA. And like Linda, I think there's something "un-American" about it. Quite probably made as part of a set, for export to the USA, to rich folk.

    I totally discount that First Dibs chair's price. It's wildly inflated.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windsor_chair 

    http://www.oldhousejournal.com/was_the_colonial_revival_for_real/magazine/1433

    http://www.vintagedesigns.com/id/colrev/20thcent/sem/


    Faith Mitchell Pappano thanked User
  • 7 years ago



  • 7 years ago

    By the way, I am in Rochester NY.
    We inherited the chair from a friend of my husbands after the friend passed away.
    This man liked "fine" things but he never really spoke about this chair. He did tell my husband that it was valuable but who knows, he could have been exaggerating (he tended to God bless him) But we do have a painting he left us that is worth a couple of thousand dollars and there were other things too so anything is possible I suppose.

  • 7 years ago

    Nicely balanced on its feet ...

    Beaded edge to the seat. the slightly fancier stuff, along with the moderate wear, keeps pointing to late 1800s, early 1900s.

    Faith Mitchell Pappano thanked User
  • 7 years ago

    well, I don't really know where to go from here. Someone has to confirm all that you have said which means I have to start looking for....an auction house? an appraiser? someone who is an expert on Windsor chairs? Antiques Road Show?

  • 7 years ago

    Have you sent pictures to an online appraiser?
    Are you wanting to sell it or just determine a value? For what reason....as an insurance value would be very different from a quick sale value.
    and what sort of "confirmation" are you looking for? Unless you are talking about hallmarks on silver and backstamps on porcelain, it's all just an educated guess.
    Do your research.....look at English oak pieces on the late 19th century. Look at the style of American vs British Windsor style chairs....check about the popularity and differents types of barley twist turnings. Look at the profiles of both continental and american chairs, as to the rake of the legs, Search for chairs with the "H" stretchers and also with that extra support between the front legs....that is quite unusual for a Windsor chair.
    As to $$ value....that depends on many many things...location, demand at the time, how you market it, how long you want to wait for a buyer etc.
    The best way to determine value is to sell it at auction.

    Faith Mitchell Pappano thanked lindac92
  • 2 years ago

    Hello, can someone pls Help identify or give me more info on this chair I own all the info I know is the chair is 500+ years handmade by spainsh conquistadors used by Hernandez Soto




  • 2 years ago

    Would need pictures of the underside showing construction. However just looking at it the wood does not show the shrinkage that a piece of furniture from the 1500s would normally show.

  • 2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I will take more updated photos, the photos you are seeing are from 6 years ago