Stool - Oak - milking stool

Milk Stool, Netherlands

This particular little stool almost certainly comes from 1950-1970. From a period also called Brutalist Stream. Farmers had been using simple wooden three-legged stools in the barn for centuries, but this stool was probably designed by an artist as an interior or art object. The robust, angular legs and the coarse leather with decorative studs fit the Brutalism perfectly. In this popular art and design movement, it was the artists who breathed new life into the milk stool of yesteryear. By the mid-20th century (around 1950), cows in the Netherlands were still largely milked by hand. The mechanization that began after World War II caused the functional milk stool to quickly disappear from barns. It was in this same period that artists and craftspeople started transforming the shape of the milk stool into decorative furniture for the modern living room.

The stool is made of solid wood and has sturdy details; the color of the leather and the four heavy legs, along with the nails, give the stool a rugged appearance. The seat cushion is not removable. The cushion is adorned with nails on the side. This is artisanal work; one leg has a broader beveled surface than the other. The legs have a flat and rounded finish, and the shape widens from top to bottom. The irregularity of the nails, with one sitting visibly higher than the other, is also a hallmark of craftsmanship. Additionally, one nail clearly endured more impact than the other.

The milk stool is solid, strong, and in excellent condition. One leg is slightly loose. I note that legs of this type of stool are sometimes fixed with (too much) glue. This is unnecessary; there is very likely a pegged joint beneath the seat. A mortise-and-tenon joint with a wooden peg expands and contracts with humidity, allowing the mechanism to move flexibly with the wood. The leg will not come out.
The legs are arranged in a rectangle and slanted, which makes the stool very stable and ready for use. Signs of use are most visible on the cushion and along the edges, consistent with the stool’s age. Good condition indicated; leather wear; no parts are missing, such as nails or the like.

Funny sight: the wider outward-spread legs compared to the seat surface, which is wide and deep. And do you see the beveled wood at the seat edge? Another artistic detail.
My suspicion is that the wood is oak and the leather is genuine. This is evident from the characteristic drying of this leather.

Height: 30 cm

Depth and width of legs: 25 and 27 cm

Seat: 19 by 26 cm

If you’re interested in this stool, please look closely at the photos. The photos are part of the description.

Whether you intend to use the stool for its original purpose or as a plant stand, I will ensure it is packaged carefully. In addition, I insure the stool for shipping.