Arts & Crafts Furniture: A late 19^th/ early 20^th century Sussex chair. The design is in the manner of Phillip Speakman Webb for Morris & Company. The chair is has an ebonised wood frame, with rush/ string seat.

Dimensions: Height 84cm x width 42cm x depth 35cm

 

The “Sussex” chair

The Morris “Sussex” chair has become an icon of arts and crafts furniture.

The original chair design is frequently attributed to Phillip Speakman Webb (1831-1915), one of the key figures in the Art & Crafts Movement. This design was produced for Morris & Company in 1865.

The Sussex chair was inspired by the simple country furniture produced in the English county of Sussex, during the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries.

The chairs were manufactured by Morris & Co., at the time owned by William Morris and his family. They proved hugely popular from a simple chair and carver the range expanded to include; corner chairs, settees and children’s chairs.

These chairs were sold at an affordable price and proved hugely popular. Morris & Co manufactured them from 1865 to 1940 (the year the company closed). Their popularity lead to them being copied by other retailers including Liberty and Heals.

Morris Sussex chairs were found in the Morris family home “Red House” and in the studio of Pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones. A Morris & Co example can be found in the Victoria & Albert Museum collection, London.

To read more about Morris & Co’s history see:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_%26_Co.

This chair is very much in the style of the Morris Sussex chair, although we are not able to attribute it directly to Morris & Co.

More pieces of furniture can be found in our store, see.

DEPORTMENT CHAIR: A 19th century child’s deportment or posture correction chair

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Shipping: Price includes free insured shipping to a UK address. If you are based outside of the UK please email us directly for a cost price shipping quote.

Condition Report: Overall condition good, string seat undone in places, some paint marks to frame. Stands well wear and tear in accordance with age and use (see images).