Barrel-back chairs - Fauteuil - Wood, Textile - Captain's chairs

Pair of captain’s chairs / barrel-back chairs in walnut — Arts & Crafts, United Kingdom, c. 1900–1910.

Object: pair of armchairs / captain’s chairs
International designation: Pair of Arts & Crafts barrel-back / tub armchairs
Origin: England, United Kingdom
Era: early 20th century
Dating: c. 1900–1910
Style: Arts & Crafts / Edwardian, with some aesthetic proximity to the late Aesthetic Movement
Wood: walnut
Seat: upholstered, covered in green and gold-toned fabric/silk
Dimensions: 77 × 54 × 49 cm each

Pair of English barrel-back or tub chairs, made in darkened walnut, featuring upholstered seats and fabric with a silk-like appearance in olive green and gold tones.

Each chair presents a distinctive enveloping structure, with a broad curved hoop-shaped upper rim forming a horseshoe, effectively describing almost a semicircle from the front uprights to the back of the backrest, serving simultaneously as a back and arm support.

The space between the upper hoop and the seat waist is filled by a regular succession of narrow vertical slats, creating an open and rhythmic backrest. This design gives the chairs an appearance that is both architectural and light, quite representative of the Arts & Crafts movement’s pursuit of constructive simplicity.

The upper hoop has a slightly arched profile, rising at the rear and gradually descending toward the arm supports.

The seats, designed approximately semi-circular/trapezoidal to follow the curvature of the frame, feature convex padding and are upholsetered in green fabric with gold geometric decoration, affixed to the hoop by a sequence of small decorative metal tacks.

The waist is simple and gently curved at the front, following the seat profile.

The four legs are tall, straight, and quadrangular in section, virtually undecorated, reinforcing the geometric simplicity of the design. They are joined by lower stretchers forming an X-shaped structure, a solution both functional and decorative.

It is precisely this combination of: semicircular backrest + vertical slats + straight lines + absence of historicist carving + geometric structure, that leads to classifying them within the British Arts & Crafts universe circa 1900.

Condition report - The condition is compatible with approximately 120 years of use. General wear to the finish is visible, including scratches, small abrasions, surface losses and color inconsistencies, mainly on the upper hoop, uprights, legs, and stretchers. The seat fabric shows wear and some loss of vitality, though it remains visually engaging. The upholstery is present and contributes to the period character. One chair has been restored, with an old, structurally appropriate intervention. There are also traces of xylophagous activity.