Buy antique dining chairs
Whether you’re a er an eightpiece set or a single chair, John Dixon, co-owner of Georgian Antiques in Edinburgh and a LAPADA director, has the following advice
Find something you love. ‘If you’re attracted to a piece, you’re halfway there already,’ says John. ‘Something has to catch your eye so you can hone in on it.’
Check it is in good condition. ‘To find out if a chair is sturdy, put a knee on the seat pad and a hand on the top rail and gently rock it backwards and forwards. This will give you instant feedback on the condition of the chair. A really good example will have a wee bit of movement. If it moves a few centimetres either way, it is loose and may need to be reframed. One with a drop-in seat pad is easier to reframe than a chair with a stuffed overseat.’
Look under the
hessian. ‘This is acceptable in the industry. To inspect a chair with a stuffed overseat, it’s OK to ask to lift back a corner of the hessian lining underneath.’
Keep an eye out for woodworm. ‘If you pull back the hessian and there’s a cloud of dust, it’s likely to be woodworm. Most can be treated, unless it’s excessive.’
Check the blocks. ‘For chairs with seat pads, take the chair, turn it upside down and look at where the seat pad is held in place. There should be four brackets, or blocks. Are they all there? Are they broken? One or two can easily be replaced but you don’t want too many missing on a set of chairs.’
Watch for concave seats. ‘A chair sinks a bit as it gets older but, if it is concave, it is likely the webbing holding the seat together has disintegrated. A chair can be re-webbed but it would need to be stripped out and then re-webbed, padded and reupholstered, which can cost between £75-£150 per chair.’
Stay within budget. ‘Have a fixed price in your mind and don’t go beyond it. Check the prices are within your budget and go for it.’ 0131 553 7286; georgianantiques.net