Blacksmith Made Sleigh Armchair with Scrollwork Iron Frame, c.1900

A rare blacksmith-made sleigh armchair, late nineteenth century, c.1900. The chair is constructed with a forged iron frame that demonstrates a high level of hand-wrought workmanship throughout, combined with simple timber runners and seat boards.

The back is formed from a series of shaped horizontal iron slats set within a curved perimeter bar, the surface showing hammer marks and the slight irregularities typical of hand forging. The arms extend forward in scrolling ironwork terminating in tight volutes, each fixed to the seat with shaped plates and bolts. The seat itself is made from two solid boards with rounded front edges secured to the iron frame.

Below, the chair stands on paired wooden runners joined to the frame by multiple forged iron supports. These supports are enriched with elaborate scrolls arranged in vertical sequences, giving the structure a decorative quality while maintaining rigidity. At the front, extended iron loops project from the runners, consistent with its original purpose as a pull-along sleigh for horse or reindeer traction.

The combination of functional strength, sculptural ironwork and traditional joinery marks this as a distinctive example of late nineteenth-century rural blacksmith craft.

Measurements available on request.