What toddler wouldn’t love one of these colorful vintage chairs? They are also desirable by collectors of primitive folk art. (Small enough to hang on a wall!). Each chair has been sensitively restored and is offered for sale individually or as a set.
The previous owner grew up with a set of these chairs some 50-60 years ago, but they are long gone. However, about 25 years ago his wife found this virtually identical set and got them for him.
My research suggests the chairs were probably crafted in Mexico. It appeared the original seats were woven with corn husks or water hyacinth, and all were brittle and broken with age and decades of use. I used 7/32-inch paper rush to re-weave the seats for a durable and child-resistant outcome. I maintained the original weaving pattern, which is unlike the typical rush ladder-back adult chair pattern most people are familiar with. It took me about 4 hours to weave each chair – by the fourth chair I was a little bit faster but my hands were sore! I finished the rush with a single coat of shellac for protection.
The bright, colorful hand-painted floral design had faded somewhat and suffered moderate paint loss in some areas. I debated whether to in-fill the missing paint, and concluded the original-but-worn look was more representative of its authentic age and origin. What would you have done?
To stabilize the existing finish, after cleaning and a light rub with a synthetic gray pad, I coated each chair with three coats of shellac. The glossy shellac safely encapsulated the original paint and makes the colors pop.
*These chairs need a new home. I’m willing to sell them individually. However, they are actually more valuable to collectors as a set (Yellow, Blue, Green, Burnt Orange.) So, $35 each, or all four for $125. Please EMail or call me ASAP if you want the set.
Local pickup Takoma Park, MD
Dimensions: Chairs: 10”D x 12”W x 17.5”H
$35 each/$125 set. Cash or Venmo.
What toddler wouldn’t love one of these colorful vintage chairs? They are also desirable by collectors of primitive folk art. (Small enough to hang on a wall!). Each chair has been sensitively restored and is offered for sale individually or as a set.
The previous owner grew up with a set of these chairs some 50-60 years ago, but they are long gone. However, about 25 years ago his wife found this virtually identical set and got them for him.
My research suggests the chairs were probably crafted in Mexico. It appeared the original seats were woven with corn husks or water hyacinth, and all were brittle and broken with age and decades of use. I used 7/32-inch paper rush to re-weave the seats for a durable and child-resistant outcome. I maintained the original weaving pattern, which is unlike the typical rush ladder-back adult chair pattern most people are familiar with. It took me about 4 hours to weave each chair – by the fourth chair I was a little bit faster but my hands were sore! I finished the rush with a single coat of shellac for protection.
The bright, colorful hand-painted floral design had faded somewhat and suffered moderate paint loss in some areas. I debated whether to in-fill the missing paint, and concluded the original-but-worn look was more representative of its authentic age and origin. What would you have done?
To stabilize the existing finish, after cleaning and a light rub with a synthetic gray pad, I coated each chair with three coats of shellac. The glossy shellac safely encapsulated the original paint and makes the colors pop.
*These chairs need a new home. I’m willing to sell them individually. However, they are actually more valuable to collectors as a set (Yellow, Blue, Green, Burnt Orange.) So, $35 each, or all four for $125. Please EMail or call me ASAP if you want the set.
Local pickup Takoma Park, MD
Dimensions: Chairs: 10”D x 12”W x 17.5”H
$35 each/$125 set. Cash or Venmo.
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