Stools Through the Ages

For thousands of years, the stool has played an important part in homelife of all cultures and countries.  Today, collectors enjoy their compact size and variety of styles, details, and finishes.

 

The stool had been the chief mode of seating around the globe from the beginning of recorded history up till about the 17^th Century.  The ancient Greeks used them in their homes, as did the Egyptians and pioneers in the American West.  It wasn’t until the 16^th century that chairs with arms and backs became commonplace, but even then, stools were much more widespread, as chairs were owned by only the wealthy and powerful.

 

Most antique stools found today are from the 17^th century or later, as earlier examples simply wore out due to constant use. Although earlier examples do exist, these are rare and valuable.

 

Because of their popularity due to functionality, stools were always current with furniture fashions of the times.  When Queen Anne style was all the rage, there were matching stools with cabriole (curved) legs and pad feet that matched other seating.  When furniture styles borrowed from history, stools followed suit, thus we find Egyptian x-frame stools from the Renaissance, and heavily carved Gothic style examples with turned legs and stretchers from the Gothic Revival period  of the 1740’s and again from another Gothic Revival from about 1830-1875. 

 

Early English stools were simple forms, usually of oak with pegged joints and simple carvings.  These are referred to as joined stools, and, as the style resurfaced in the 1920’s and 30’s, its often difficult to determine the age of the piece without careful study.  An authentic joined stool will show wear on the stretchers (the horizontal members that connect the legs) and irregularly shaped handmade pegs that protrude from the joints due to shrinkage.

 

Stool Values

Stools are popular with collectors and prices are high for proven early examples in good condition, which includes original finish, and where applicable, upholstery.  An English Gothic Revival (see photo) stool, circa 1830 might bring $500-700, a Georgian c 1790-1820 in original finish but not original upholstery Mahogany model with ball and claw feet  $350-400.

i have antique china statues and lamps and china I don't want to sell but need money where would I go

Gustav Stickley and His Furniture

Stickley was born in 1857, the eldest of eleven children.  When his father abandoned the family when he was in 8^th grade, he had to leave school to help support his mother and siblings.  By 1874, his family had moved to Pennsylvania, and Gustav was working at his uncle’s chair factory, where he was made manager and foreman by the age of 21.  When he was not at the factory, young Stickley tried to continue his interrupted education in his uncle’s library, where he discovered the works William Morris and John Ruskin.  Ruskin was a writer and social advocate, and Morris a designer whose philosophies urged a return to pride in workmanship and craft as an antidote to badly reproduced period furniture and the excesses and dehumanizing aspects of the industrial revolution.

 

The Gustav Stickley Furniture Company

After a series of unsuccessful partnerships with some of his brothers, and a trip to Europe, Stickley formed the Gustav Stickley Company, and designed a line of furniture based on his preference for simple lines and honest materials.  This line he called “Structural”, and exhibited it at the Grand Rapids Furniture Market in 1900.  Although it did not receive raves from retailers, House Beautiful Magazine praised the design as “sensible furniture.”

 

Gustav Stickley’s Furniture

Stickley’s designs feature clean, almost medieval lines and a lack of extraneous ornamentation, its only decorative elements being the beautifully crafted joinery that holds the pieces together.  He named his structural furniture Craftsman style, and believed that it combined the best of man and machine.

 

Stickley Details

Gustav chose oak as the primary material for his Craftsman furniture.  It was abundant in American forests, and thereby echoed the expression of the natural environment.  The wood’s very visible grain was showcased by the forms of the furniture, so the grain complemented the lines of the piece rather than competing with it as was the case with more ornate styles. 

 

Stickley finishes were impeccable, applied by hand, and restricted to only those shades that would enhance the oak’s natural color, grain and texture.  His oak looked like oak, and was not dressed up to resemble any other exotic or costly specie of wood.

 

The clean lines of his chairs, tables, cabinets, desks, mirrors, screens, coat racks and benches were ornamented through the use of hand crafted joinery that both held the pieces together, and provided intricate detail.   Mortise-and-tenon joints, where one element protrudes through a connecting element is one of the strongest joints in cabinetry, and produces and almost inlay effect as do exposed dowel joints.  The butterfly joint resembles a bowtie, and is used to fasten two adjacent flat panels. Any or all of these joints will be found on both vintage and new pieces of Stickley furniture, which today, is also made of cherry.

I have a chair that has been in my family for 60 years or so. If anyone has information on it it would be greatly appreciated.

I have my grandmothers 1940's dining room set, table w/leaves, 4 chairs, buffet, hutch.  It's in remarkable condition. Under the table it's marked Pioneer Oak and a #.  I've added pictures so you can see the pattern.  Any details you may know about this furniture or a estimate of value would be greatly appreciated.

 

Does anyone know have any info on the lamps such as who made them , the era and possbily the value of them.  I do have some family pictures that the lamps are in and on of the picture dates back into the mid 50's.  thanks

Does anyone have any info on this unique 3 panel oak dressing mirror? It is about 7 foot tall and the wing mirrors are 20" wide. It is heavy..It also has a small  curved shelf about a foot up from the  bottom... I would like to find its value and what it might have been used for, a home or business....Thanks for any info you have....The photo of the mirror is on this site under  3 panel oak dressing mirror......

I bought this chair at an estate auction because I thought it was beautiful & unique. Does anybody know any kind of history or value? The carving at the top back is of a woman's head. It has no nails or screws. The wood, I think, is oak, but I'm not sure. No breaks or splintering in the wood. The leather set has a tear across the back, probably from wear. I want opinions on whether I should have it refinished, too. I don't want to decrease the value by doing anything to it that would harm it's worth.