DOI issue:
No. 96 (February, 1905)
DOI article:Levetus, A. S.: Dr. Figdor's collection of old chairs, Vienna
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26963#0436
Ancient Chairs
The long-backed chair on page 332 (with detail
shown on page 333) is late fifteenth century,
and came from the Strozzi Palace, Florence.
It has fine contours, and was probably designed
by the then architect of the Strozzi family. The
three legs have been retained, but they are
stronger and more severe. The tall back is
surmounted by the arms of the Strozzi family.
Several Gothic and Renaissance backs, which, being
less destructible than the
other parts, have been
preserved intact, are here
illustrated.
The revolving chair,
which dates from about
1500, bears a remarkable
affinity to the modern
American office-chair.
On pages 341 and 344 are
shown two views of a re-
volving chair of another
period, the date, 1649,
being carved conspicu-
ously in front, while the
back bears the coat-of-
arms of its first possessor,
“ a nobleman of Lindau.”
Other illustrations include
armchairs of the sixteenth
century from various
lands. There are Spanish,
Italian (with fine leather
mountings having a deli-
cate scroll tracery), Salz-
burg (the one arm showing
that the left arm was left
free for spinning), a Swiss
“window” chair, and
chairs of the Italian re-
naissance, the last having
very fine rounded contours
and rich carving. The one
on page 343 is a Scotch
chair, which is dated 1690.
It will be seen by these
illustrations hew various
chairs were in form, and
that though there is some-
thing common to all,
yet each country repre-
sented has its individual-
ities. The guilds each
had their own particular
form of chair, having chair backs
their arms carved on the backs, and different
districts had their own peculiar designs, generally
representative of the trade to which the owner
belonged. The style was patrician, and was only
distinguished from such by bearing the badge
of the workman. The miller, the shoemaker, the
farrier, the carpenter, each had his own special
chair. That of the Millers’ Guild (page 344) is
so white from the flour of past ages that it has
CHAIR BACK SEVENTEENTH CENTURY
CHAIR BACK
SIXTEENTH CENTURY
SIXTEENTH CENTURY
340
The long-backed chair on page 332 (with detail
shown on page 333) is late fifteenth century,
and came from the Strozzi Palace, Florence.
It has fine contours, and was probably designed
by the then architect of the Strozzi family. The
three legs have been retained, but they are
stronger and more severe. The tall back is
surmounted by the arms of the Strozzi family.
Several Gothic and Renaissance backs, which, being
less destructible than the
other parts, have been
preserved intact, are here
illustrated.
The revolving chair,
which dates from about
1500, bears a remarkable
affinity to the modern
American office-chair.
On pages 341 and 344 are
shown two views of a re-
volving chair of another
period, the date, 1649,
being carved conspicu-
ously in front, while the
back bears the coat-of-
arms of its first possessor,
“ a nobleman of Lindau.”
Other illustrations include
armchairs of the sixteenth
century from various
lands. There are Spanish,
Italian (with fine leather
mountings having a deli-
cate scroll tracery), Salz-
burg (the one arm showing
that the left arm was left
free for spinning), a Swiss
“window” chair, and
chairs of the Italian re-
naissance, the last having
very fine rounded contours
and rich carving. The one
on page 343 is a Scotch
chair, which is dated 1690.
It will be seen by these
illustrations hew various
chairs were in form, and
that though there is some-
thing common to all,
yet each country repre-
sented has its individual-
ities. The guilds each
had their own particular
form of chair, having chair backs
their arms carved on the backs, and different
districts had their own peculiar designs, generally
representative of the trade to which the owner
belonged. The style was patrician, and was only
distinguished from such by bearing the badge
of the workman. The miller, the shoemaker, the
farrier, the carpenter, each had his own special
chair. That of the Millers’ Guild (page 344) is
so white from the flour of past ages that it has
CHAIR BACK SEVENTEENTH CENTURY
CHAIR BACK
SIXTEENTH CENTURY
SIXTEENTH CENTURY
340