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Good Questions: Scalloped Back Garage Sale Chairs?

071309goodquestchair.jpgDear Apartment Therapy,
A friend of mine bought these amazing chairs at a citywide garage sale here in Austin recently, and I wondered if anyone in theĀ  AT community would know anything about them. We're both suspecting some sort of art deco origin because of the scalloped back, but we'd love to know more about what 'style' these chairs are, and what decade they might be from. She's just curious, and I'd love to know for future reference. Any ideas/guesses are appreciated! Thanks! -Claire (sistergray)

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Good Questions, Austin, garage sale, scalloped back chairs

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Comments (13)

I may be wrong but I believe they are more of a 50s thing. You could ask Pam at retrorenovation.com. She knows everything.

posted by sally305 on July 13th 2009 at 9:07pm
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They look late 40's to me, although that fabric is very 70's. If you recover them, try a nice, sturdy, thick linen.

posted by medusa12120 on July 13th 2009 at 9:12pm
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They just scream 1970s to me, but that may be because of the fabric.

posted by chez shoes on July 13th 2009 at 11:15pm
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My guess is late 40s early 50s during the "colonial revival" period... when the U.S. style was a mish-mash of pre aesthetic era design and mixed in with that was some of the more modern designs that had been happening in Europe in the early part of the 20th Century. It looks like the back was inspired by the Josef Hoffmann Haus Koller chair, and the legs are Regency inspired. Looks like it was recovered in the late 60s?
Have no idea if my guess is right, but it was fun guessing! :)

posted by amandaPlease on July 13th 2009 at 11:27pm
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Late 40s. My grandmother had one covered in rose damask with nailhead trim down the sides, and more Queen-Anne-style feet.

posted by pvett on July 14th 2009 at 12:08am
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I have two of these. One has the Queen Anne leg and the other has a more streamlined channelled leg. I love them. I found one on the street and the other at a thrift store. I can't wait to recover them. I took out my silk dupioni wedding dress and I'm going to take it apart to see if I can get enough fabric to cover one of them. The other will be a soft blue velvet.
A friend suggested that I stain the frame to look ebony and then use a black cotton sateen fabric and silver nail heads. That's too contemporary for me, but I think it would look amazing.

posted by rapunzel on July 14th 2009 at 3:38am
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I think these are 70s. I've found a bunch of them at yard sales around here, and they all seem to come with classic 70s style fabric - never anything that looks older than that.

posted by Mary B C on July 14th 2009 at 4:28am
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I thought the 50's also. Whatever decade they have really nice lines to them. Lookup Spruce on North Lamar. They would have really good ideas for fixing them up.

posted by csaustin on July 14th 2009 at 8:57am
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1940's, reupholstered in the 70s.

rapunzel, dress-weight silk will too light for a chair. You need a silk that is bonded to a backing to make it strong enough to be tacked or stapled.

posted by spanky on July 14th 2009 at 9:04am
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i have one of these with queen anne style legs - bought it from the original owner for $10 that said she bought it new in the 70's.

I reupholstered it with a big graphic print in greens and blues and it looks fabulous.

posted by jonnifer on July 14th 2009 at 10:10am
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i love the "tuck and roll" channel back as well and I also vote for the 40s! Finding someone to put new fabric is tough though.

posted by SydneyBristow on July 14th 2009 at 12:30pm
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any tips on reupholstering a chair like this? i've got one with a bad print that i would LOVE to recover.

posted by lemook on July 14th 2009 at 2:05pm
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Thanks, AT community, for all the efforts. (: Be it '40s or '70s, they're pretty snazzy chairs. The upholstery on them is actually in near-perfect condition, and, although it's hard to tell from the photo, it's actually quite pretty - beige with a raised green floral design. They look very Anthropologie-esque.

I may hit up Pam, as sally305 recommended, but I like amandaPlease's take on the chairs' potential history. Thanks SydneyBristow for clarifying what the back-style may be called. (:

You guys are quite knowledgeable.

posted by sistergray on July 14th 2009 at 3:21pm
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