This Old Thing: A Popular Chair Design For About 300 Years
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Q. We bought this chair from a consignment store in 2014. It is really heavy and sturdy with no identifying marks that I could find. The back measures 109cm high by 79cm wide at the arms (43 x 31 inches). Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
A. You have a beautiful, richly carved chair – but it’s not an antique. This same design was first introduced in England in the early Georgian period around 1725. The features of eagle heads, acanthus leaves, cavorting legs with ball-shaped feet and masked claws and knees lion faces have remained popular ever since. Your chair dates from around 1950 and being carved by hand, the patterns vary according to the examples. What is missing is a warm feeling – the edges, especially on eagle heads are too sharp and show no signs of rubbing with the hands for a long period of time – an area that needs rubbing often. The upholstery is very pleasant. This is a high quality chair valued at $ 450 as a mid-20th century revival chair.
Q. I wondered if this teapot was worth anything. When I watch the Antiques Roadshow, I feel like if it’s ugly, it’s worth a lot of money. And this teapot is really ugly! It originally belonged to my mother. It is dated 1902, is 22 cm high (8.5 inches) and is marked “CH Brannam”. There is a chip inside the top of the teapot which is hidden by the lid. An inscription on the other side reads: “From rocks and sands and barren lands, good fortune has set me free, and great guns and women’s tongues, damn it, save me.” ”
A. Throughout history, the grotesque has been revived by artists – especially in pottery, like your teapot from the late 1880s to the 1920s. The maker is Charles Hubert Brannam, who started his pottery business in 1879 in Barnstable, England. His products often had humorous worms, multi-colored glazes, and designs like the animal-headed beak on your teapot. These pieces are completely handmade. Fortunately, the chip on your teapot isn’t an eyesore, so it’s not a big deal. This beautifully ugly coin is worth around $ 350.
Q. I acquired this original Jack Bush oil painting in the early 1950s. It measures 71 x 41 cm (28 x 16 inches). It has not been cleaned since I bought it and is still in great condition. I would appreciate your opinion on its value.
A. Jack Hamilton Bush (1909-1977) was an important Canadian painter best known for his abstract art. He was a founding member of a group of Canadian artists called “Painters Eleven”, which formed in 1953 to develop, exhibit and promote abstract art. However, this painting will date to the 1930s or early 1940s before WWII before he began to introduce abstract elements into his art. He was well known as a landscape painter early in his career. Bush has worked most of his life as a commercial artist. He also trained with JEH MacDonald, a member of the Group of Seven, and was a member of several artistic societies, including the Ontario Society of Artists and the Canadian Group of Painters. The Canadian art market is full of exceptional works and your winter forest scene could cost as much as $ 7,500.