The Piece

An early postwar hardwood folding chair with a sculpted slatted “saddle” seat—decidedly older than typical 1960s models. Hand-set slats, a gently arced front rail, and straightforward steel pivots point to circa 1947–1958. It folds flat, sits sturdy, and carries the warm patina only real wood earns over time.

Design & Construction

→ Form & StyleClean A-frame stance, straight back rail, and subtly splayed legs. The arced front seat rail gives the slat deck a comfortable curve—an earlier workshop detail.

→ SeatIndividually fastened hardwood slats (not plywood) create a ventilated, contoured surface; small brads/screws along the rails signal hand assembly or short-run production.

→ FrameSolid beech/oak rails with dowel/mortise-and-tenon style joinery and a lower stretcher for racking resistance. Simple steel side pivots fold smoothly—consistent with late-’40s/’50s hardware.

→ Finish & PatinaWalnut-brown varnish/oil with softened edges and light wear. Cleaned, conditioned, and tightened while preserving authentic age.

Dimensions

• 
  

  Width: 16.5″

  
  


• 
  

  Depth: 18.5″

  
  


• 
  

  Height: 31.0″

  
  


• 
  

  Seat Height: 17.5″

  
  

History & Provenance

In the late 1940s–1950s, American and European workshops advanced all-wood folding chairs for real living spaces—lighter and finer than prewar types, and more furniture-like than later metal/plywood iterations. This example’s hand-fixed slats, doweled frame, and arced front rail anchor it in that 1947–1958 window, reading older than the vinyl-padded dining models that followed.

Condition

Very good vintage. Structurally sound; no wobble. Slats are secure with minor age marks at fasteners; even, hand-rubbed sheen.

Product Details

Why It’s Special

An earlier, all-wood folding chair with sculpted slats and honest joinery—older, rarer, and warmer than common ’60s versions. Functional, space-savvy, and quietly beautiful.