Editor’s note: This week’s Chair Chat with Rudy and Klaus tells the tale about how an imperfect chair with a displaced leg, a split seat and some crude repairs stands out as perfect in our eyes.
Also, Chris talks about Cincinnati Chili, how it looks like barf and how yummy it tastes. If you’re faint at heart and gets easily put off by three legged-chairs or food that looks like it’s been regurgitated, then please watch this to feel better.
As always: We don’t authenticate chairs – we just talk about what we like and don’t like.
We don’t know much about this chair. Its age, if the maker cried when he discovered that he messed up the splay or he had eaten a barf-like dinner before making the crest. It’s all unknown. What we do know is that the seller says this:
“Good George III Welsh Primitive Comb-Back Chair. Height 31″, width 24-3/4″, depth 19-1/2. A wonderful primitive Welsh armchair retaining all the great patina of over two centuries of use. The top rail to the comb-back design, mortised through with six ash spindles: the outer two piercing the arm rests with further morticed spindles leading to the rectangular elm seat on three morticed stick legs. Some early 19th century iron braces add a charming aspect to this very stylish chair.”
Klaus: That is a special chair.
Chris: Special as in weird?
Klaus: No, I love it
Chris: I like weird stuff.
Klaus: Well, exactly, then. That’s what I mean. Weird and wonderful. Just like myself.
Rudy: OK, shall we get going?
Chris: I’ve got 30 minutes until I got to start cooking dinner!
Klaus: What’s for dinner?
Chris: Chili over spaghetti. With cheese. A local dish.
Klaus: Sounds weird and lovely.
Chris: This chair is a sweetheart.
Klaus: I love the proportions of it.
Rudy: I like the square seat.
Chris: And all the iron banding on it. And the little bevel on its underside.
Rudy: Exactly, there are so many details on this one! Looks like the iron banding on the bottom of the seat was nailed on, too.
Klaus: Definitely rich in details! And as I said, I think the proportions are just right here. A lot of these chairs with a very low crest often look weird. This one nails it (pun intended).
Chris: Yup and yup! And yes to nails.
Rudy: Hard to tell, but do the nails penetrate the seat? And notice the wedgeless tenons we talked about in our last chat.
Chris: Maybe the seat was pitsawn? Look at the marks. Or sawn with a reciprocating saw. Hard to tell from the photos.
Rudy: It definitely looks like that.
Klaus: I just discovered there’s iron banding on the seat edge, too. At first I just saw the bands under it.
Rudy: The whole chair looks very dramatic, looking from the top.
Chris: Yes. I love the slight curves.
Klaus: You think so? I think it looks calm. At least from the front.
Klaus: Did the seat split with that left front (our left) leg tenon?
Rudy: I’m guessing so.
Chris: I think so, too. That’s why there is all the iron plating. Hard to say if the split occurred at construction or later. Either way, it split. Add iron.
Rudy: Add iron. All around the edge, just to make sure!
Klaus: I also love the facets that are cut on the ends of the crest.
Chris: The crest has a lot of shapes. It goes from square to roundish.
Rudy: The crest gives the chair a lot of its character.
Chris: The whole chair is a real character.
Klaus: Yeah, this maker took his time to make it pretty.
Chris: The rounded hands are lovely.
Rudy: I agree, and the overall shape of the arms is very handsome.
Chris: And look – they messed up the rake and splay on one of the front legs. Look from the top again.
Chris: And the chair still looks great! If I screwed up my front legs like that, I’d cry.
Rudy: I know! Makes me feel better about my own drilling.
Chris: I thought we weren’t going to talk about our wives!
Rudy: Hahaha.
Klaus: I’ve done it several times.
Rudy: Right, at least three times… you’ve got three kids, right?
Klaus: I mean messing up the front leg angles like that!
Rudy: Ah.
Chris: I mess up the drilling all the time. That’s why I ream my joints.
Rudy: The messed up leg gives the chair a subtle sideways stance, one leg leaning slightly to the side when you look at it from the front.
Chris: The color is intoxicating, too.
Klaus: It must have been fluffed up by the antiques dealer. That shine is unreal.
Chris: Ya. It probably does have wax on it. But the red is nice. Even if it’s faked.
Klaus: Very pretty indeed. How do we end this chat? We could go on and on.
Chris: Well, this three-legged chair required no special tools. No crazy skills. It’s not perfect in its angles. But it’s perfect. If I made this chair, I’d be to-the-moon happy.
Rudy: Yes. The chair is a statement of the maker. He had the confidence and ability to make a well-proportioned chair.
Klaus: I agree with both of you. Good conclusions! However, about your dinner, Chris: Chili over spaghetti. As in chili con carne over spaghetti? Or red chilies on top of spaghetti?
Chris: Con carne. It’s a Greek-spiced chili that became popular here in strip clubs. It’s a very local dish. It’s got cinnamon and cloves in it, too.
Rudy: Strip clubs – carne. I see the connection there…
Chris: Meat and …meat, yes!
Klaus: Sounds yummy. Can you send us a photo?
Chris: Sure. Or you can type “Cincinnati chili” into your browser. It looks like barf.
Klaus: Oh, man.. I accidentally typed Cincinnati barf into my browser now. Not hungry anymore.
Rudy: Thanks for the warning, Klaus!