A PAINTED ASH AND PINE CAITHNESS OR SUTHERLAND CHAIR
19TH CENTURY
£1,400
Scottish Applied Arts & Wemyss
Auction: 12 August 2015 at 12:00 BST
Description
the back with nine horizontal spindles (one lacking), the plank seat with two further stretchers, all supported by L shaped elements and raised on hewn square legs linked by stretchers
Dimensions
42cm wide, 79cm high, approx. 48cm deep
Footnote
Literature: Cotton, Bernard D. 'Scottish Vernacular Furniture', London 2008, pp. 214-219 and p. 216 where this chair is illustrated
Note: This chair comes from a tradition of chair-making in the largely treeless regions in the far north of Scotland which utilised the stunted trees that managed to grow there. The strong winds bent the trunks or branches into shapes that might usefully be employed for making chair parts. Characteristics of these crofter-made chairs are the two similar or split bent elements supporting spindles to the back and usually a planked seat. Ash was the favoured wood as it was hardwearing and the branches split easily. Legs were often made from found branches of the correct size linked by naturally found branches. The low height of the chairs enabled the sitter to be below the 'smoke line' in the croft.