Queen Anne Chair

The commission was to manufacture an extending dining table 3.2 metres (10’ 6”) in length, with 10 chairs in the ‘Queen Anne’ style. The Victorian Kauri table legs were found in an old Wellington workshop in their original packing case (they have never been used!). The carve is a solid incisive Acanthus traditional style. This chair is the ‘pattern chair’. It was scaled, drawn and built, then presented to the client. One change was made; the base spreaders were not required.

The set of 10 chairs were made from New Zealand Kauri, as was the table. The front cabriole leg was shaped from pattern and is constructed as such; bandsaw, ½ round rasp – spoke shave, ½ round medium file, cabinet scrapers and then sanded. This is an example of an interesting cabriole, balanced to suit the charge chair of that period. The long, elegant back was made using much the same process.

NEXT