What type of ladder back chairs

mjhall

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Mar 14, 2017
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Hi, P
Back in 1981, my husband inherited furniture from his grandmother. In the attic were 8 ladder-back chairs - 2 with arms and 6 without. The backs are had decorated with what I think is milk paint. I'm not certain of their age. Can anyone help me identify them? We just don't have room for them anymore and are thinking of moving into a smaller house without stairs.

I've included pictures of both styles with a close-up of the painting on the back. At first I thought it was stenciling, but then I realized that each chair was individually painted. Ladderback-arms1.jpg Ladderback-arms2.jpg Ladderback-1.jpg
 

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mjhall

Newbie
Mar 14, 2017
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1
Pennsylvania
Primary Interest:
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Interesting. I didn't think to look at the bottom. At one point they must have had some other type of seating. My husband thinks it may have been a leather cushion because of the tiny nail holes.

bottom of ladder back.jpg

looks made in the style of the shaker ladder back, the seat
is slat, not weave or solid. could we see a img of the bottom
the seat

1850s ladder back
https://shakerml.org/blogs/furniture/18677285-side-chair
 

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mjhall

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Mar 14, 2017
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It does, but grandmother's house was in Heath, Mass, which is about 19 miles south of Vermont. I wouldn't think Amish furniture would be that far north.
 

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cw0909

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Dec 24, 2006
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the legs look like pole wood, thats not turned (worked)
IDK,maybe a hobby woodworkers craft project, 1950s-60s ?
done in a shaker style
 

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mjhall

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Mar 14, 2017
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Pennsylvania
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Thanks for the information. It so happens that I do caning and could replace seating with rush. Thank you for your comments and helpful suggestions.
 

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unclemac

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Oct 12, 2011
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i have chairs made similar to those that crossed the plains in a covered wagon....have them looked at by an expert, we can only guess from pictures and yours may be more interesting.
 

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