You may remember this chair from our post in April. Well our research is complete and we finally know what these are...and what they aren't. After lots of eyestraining hours looking at hundreds and hundreds of chair photos, we have determined that these are reproductions of King George III Gothic Windsor Armchairs. (At no time did we ever expect them to be originals from the 1700s). We knew from the start that they were repros, but wanted to know precisely where they were made and what they are worth.Our search took us to England and Batheaston Cabinetmakers Ltd., of North Yorkshire. After examining our photos, they confirmed that they are indeed Batheaston Gothic Windsor armchairs, item BC17 in their catalouge, and are the flagship of their chair collection. The chairs are primarily made of Ash wood, with Beech cabriole front legs and carved Beech splats.
Had these chairs been originals from the 1700's, their value would have been in the tens of thousands of dollars. Southeby's sold a pair of the originals in 2006 for over $20,000. Our chairs, although reproductions, still command a rather stiff price. Batheaston still makes and sells these chairs at retail for 1210 British pounds, which equivocates to $1925.00 in U.S. dollars! Yes, to buy these chairs new will cost almost two thousand dollars per chair, or twelve thousand for the set of six!
Our chairs were purchased by the consignor's parents approximately 25 - 30 years ago. They have been well cared for, but they are in used condition. Our price for the set of six chairs is $3600.00. We will, however, consider reasonable offers.
While this type of item may not be for everybody, we are putting it out there in hopes of attracting a buyer with discriminating taste. If you wish to view the chairs in person, we have two on display at the shop.
