Corner Chairs: Ever Heard of These?

An interesting piece of furniture that has very recently entered our collection is this classic yet quirky 19th century carved mahogany corner chair. This is a wonderfully carved ornate piece featuring charming detail on the backrest of leaves and scrolls. The centre of the backrest is an inlaid armorial in wood and bone of a dragon. Other interesting details include three column supports carved like the trunk of a palm tree. The 3 cabriole legs extend the carved foliate decoration with ball and claw feet.

As interesting and appealing as this chair is, its history is also fascinating. These chairs were first created sometime during the 18th century and were meant for bed chambers or dressing rooms. Owing to the comfort that these chairs provided, they were eventually utilised outside of the bed chambers and became a common inclusion in studies, libraries, and sitting rooms.

Interestingly, these corner chairs were often used as desk seating, as they allowed the person sitting at the desk to easily turn from the writing surface to engage with others in the room. They essentially provided the convenience that we associate with the swivel chairs of the present day. The corner chairs were also comfortable for those who would read for long periods.

Corner chairs are a very unique design these days as they are not something that the modern-day chair manufacturers will often produce. Have a look at the pictures to get a better idea of how this chair looks. We also have a wonderful variety of antique mahogany furniture as well that you must have a look at. Visit us to see our lovely collection.