1940’s Mahogany Roseback Duncan Phyfe Chair by Tell City Chair Company

Description

This Duncan Phyfe-style chair is made of solid mahogany and was produced by the Tell City Chair Company, likely in the 1940’s. It features carved floral details, a scalloped chair back and curved front legs. It is in excellent vintage condition, and the seat has been professionally reupholstered in a floral fabric from Ballard Designs.

History of the maker:
The Tell City Chair Company was a furniture manufacturer founded in 1865 in Tell City, Indiana. First known as the Chair Makers’ Union, the company was originally organized as a cooperative, with the employees making up the majority of stockholders. It was said that in the beginning these employees made the chairs during the day, carried them home in the evening, and with the assistance of their families wove the double cane seat so that the chairs could be brought back the next morning.

The company began to expand production in the early 1900’s, opening their own factories and saw mill and transporting thousands of logs down the river (the only way they could be prior to accessible train travel). They used high-quality timbers like hard rock maple, mahogany, and cherry and became known as the largest chair factory in the world; they would go on to produce a wider range of furnishings around the time of WWII, but for more than 80 years the Tell City Chair Company manufactured nothing but chairs. Their name remains synonymous with quality and their pieces are highly collectible.See

Dimensions

17.5ʺW × 18ʺD × 32.5ʺH

Styles

American

Neoclassical

Seat Interior Depth

17.0 in

Number of Seats

1

Seat Interior Width

17.0 in

Seat Height

19.0 in

Period

1940s

Country of Origin

United States

Item Type

Vintage, Antique or Pre-owned

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Materials

Mahogany

Condition

Good Condition, Original Design Modified, Some Imperfections

Color

Burgundy

Condition Notes

This item has been well cared for and thus is in excellent vintage condition, structurally sound and with only minor …moreThis item has been well cared for and thus is in excellent vintage condition, structurally sound and with only minor signs of cosmetic wear consistent with age and use. It has been cleaned and polished, and the seat has been newly reupholstered. Please view photos carefully for a detailed look at this item’s condition.