Stylish 19th C Mahogany Reclining Morris Chair

Stylish 19th C Mahogany Reclining Morris Chair

Code: 10646

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A highly stylish and iconic Morris chair after a design by Colman and made famous by Philip Webb.  This beautiful chair having reeded front legs with original brass castors.  The adjustable reclining back is supported by curved arms, retaining the original horse hair swab cushions.  Newly upholstered in a high quality tweed linen.  Super quality and condition throughout.  English, Circa 1870.

Dimensions:  Height: 108 cm - 42 1/2 Inches, Width: 62 cm -  24 1/2 Inches, Depth: 92 cm - 36 1/2 Inches

Price inclusive of courier delivery within England & Wales


How the Morris chair became a design classic The piece with its distinctive reclining back is said to have been based on a model found in a carpenter’s workshop in the 1860s.  The intricate designs of William Morris are recognised in interiors around the world, as is his furniture – notably the Morris chair, adapted by Morris & Co from 1869. It is identified by its reclining back, high armrests and notches underneath, which can be used to adjust the degree of slant. The chair was probably adapted by Morris & Co from a prototype created by carpenter Ephraim Colman in Sussex. Warrington Taylor, business manager of Morris & Co, is said to have discovered the chair in Colman’s workshop. He sent a sketch to Philip Webb, saying it would be a good design for the firm to take on. The Morris chair became one of the company’s most popular designs and was originally available in both a black and mahogany finish. “In the 17th century a chair of this type would have been in oak, without upholstery or castors, but the Edwardian era required more comfort and more moveability,” says Jan Marsh, president of the William Morris Society. The chair featured in an illustrated catalogue produced by Morris & Co in which Morris’s decorative designs covered the chair. Loose covers supplied in Utrecht velvet or chintz (a printed cotton) were used. Original versions were sold widely in the UK, with later versions made by Liberty & Co and the furniture manufacturer Gustav Stickley. Get alerts on Design when a new story is published.

Source: Ft.com  Saskia Rumbelow OCTOBER 3 2014 https://www.ft.com/content/39d17398-48b0-11e4-9d04-00144feab7de