The history of upholstered furniture, PART 1

1 In the world of today comfort in sitting plays an important part whether we are travelling, working in an office, visiting the cinema or relaxing at home. The importance of sitting comfortably has a relatively short history, in fact the history of British chairs can be covered by some 400 years. Before attempting to solve some of the problems of today perhaps it is as well to consider the attitude towards sitting in the past, and the ways in which these needs are met. Almost all chairs up to the beginning of the 17tb century seem to have been designed on the lines of thrones; in other words, as chairs in which one sat with dignity rather than comfort, the hardness of the framed and panelled construction possibly being relieved by a cushion of padding of wool, horsehair, and feathers. To be chosen to be the head of a meeting, court or assembly gave one the honour of sitting in a chair, rather than on a stool or the floor, and so the word chairman has remained to this day. Even in the Elizabethan theatres it was considered normal to stand when watching a play. To be seen relaxing or reclining was considered to be bad manners, as well as showing weakness of character. This attitude towards sitting remained until well into the 19th century. The 17th century saw a big step forward in the standards of comfort in English homes. We find chairs becoming much more common, and upholstery an integral part of the design of the chairs. But it is in the beginning of the 18th century that we see for the first time chairs being thought of as truly upholstered chairs; in other words the frame work being designed from the point of view of a Skeleton to Support the flesh and "muscle" of the upholstery. Queen Anne wing-arm chairs are superb examples of the upholsterer’s art, but it must be remembered that these chairs, although extremely comfortable did not allow for very relaxed sitting. The height and depth of the seat together with the angle of the back did not allow for this. The rest 18th century saw the development of British furniture to a high level of design, and manufacture and is often referred to as the “Golden Age of Furniture”.

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