Campeche chair adds fun to decor

#Middlebury #Antiques #CampecheChair

When decorating a room, it’s fun to include something out-of-the-ordinary. Perhaps you can find an unusual lamp or a modern painting, or a piece of furniture in a unique style. Try something new and go to an auction to see what’s selling.

Neal Auction Company’s recent auction was selling different styles of antique furniture, including a Campeche chair. It looked a lot like some modern chairs, but it had a single piece of leather curved to make the back and seat on a simple wooden frame. The back was tipped just enough to make it a perfect place to nap. The legs were upside-down capital C’s, one on each side with a center stretcher. It was a perfect conversation piece.

This Campeche chair is made of mahogany with a small, circular inlay of a lighter wood. It was estimated to be worth $5,000. (Kovels photo)

The name :Campeche” comes from its use in the city of Campeche, Mexico, where it was popular in the late 18th century. Historians thought the name came from campeche wood, but most were made of mahogany. Looking up the chair’s history takes talent because it is also called a “Spanish chair” or a “butac” (a shortened form of other words, “butaca” or “boutaque,” used for the chair). Some call it the “planter’s chair.” Thomas Jefferson had one of these chairs he called a “Campeachy.”

The chairs, similar to earlier X-frame chairs, were popular in Louisiana and shipped to New Orleans. They were used in Philadelphia by the 1830s and in London by about 1845. Some modern artists, including silversmith William Spratling, were creating similar pieces in the 1950s. The chairs are still being made and sold in the U.S. today.

Q: I have two curio cabinets labeled “Jasper.” I purchased them in the 1960s from Harlem Furniture Co. in Dayton, Ohio. I was hoping that you could help me out with finding new keys! Thank you.

A: If owners of antique furniture collectors are lucky, their pieces have the original key. If you don’t see a key, check to see if it’s taped in a drawer or on the back panel. Don’t remove the lock, it will damage the furniture. Call a locksmith. Ask an antiques dealer or auction gallery if it can suggest a locksmith who repairs antiques. There are master keys for most types of locks – old or new, furniture, house or filing cabinet, even clocks and coin-operated machines.

Current Prices
Toy, ride-on car, Corvette, fastback style, metal, steering wheel on hood, original box, Republic Tool & Die Corp., Los Angeles, 1966, 24 inches long, $270.
Garden settee, cast iron, three bronze urn splats connected with flowers and swags, arched legs, Victorian, 29 1/2 x 47 inches, $575.
Glass chess set, clear and multicolored hand-blown playing pieces, inlaid wooden board with turned sides, Kjell Engman, Kosta Boda, board 24 1/2 inches, square, tallest playing piece 5 3/4 inches, $1,500.

TIP: Old vs. new iron garden furniture: Old iron furniture usually weighs more, and the iron is smoother than new iron. Look for rust and faded paint, also. But remember, that too can be faked.

For more collecting news, tips and resources, visit www.Kovels.com.

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