Morris chair has a mission
Q. The chair seen in this photo has been passed down in our family for generations. The frame is oak and has never been refinished. The back is adjustable, so it can recline, and it is excellent condition.
We plan to keep the chair in the family and would like to learn more about its history and insurance value.
A. Your have a Morris recliner, and the frame is Arts and Crafts/Mission. The design for chairs with slotted adjustable backs can be attributed to William Morris. Morris, Marshall Faulkner & Co. in London introduced the chair around 1866. The creative ideas of designer William Morris and British scholar John Ruskin ushered in the Arts and Crafts/Mission movement in the late 1880s. The simplicity of the craftsmanship, the dignity of the work and the integrity of the design were a reaction to the curvilinear and heavy, ornate lines of the mass-produced Victorian era factory furniture. The movement rapidly spread to the United States. The style is defined by quarter-sawn oak, corbels, mortise-and-tenon construction and sturdy, straight lines. A batch of United States makers of Arts and Crafts soon popped up including Gustav Stickley, the Stickley Brothers, Charles Limbert, Shop of the Crafters and the Roycrofters. Many shops signed their furniture. Your cushions appear to be reupholstered; they were probably originally leather. Arts and Crafts/Mission furniture that is in excellent condition and has the original finish and maker signature command the highest value. Having said that, prices have drifted downward recently. Your Morris chair should be insured in the range of $800 to $1,200.
Q. This mark is on a cut-glass pedestal bowl that I have. It stands over 13 inches tall, is in perfect condition and is decorated with hobstars and a diamond pattern. I plan to give it to my daughter and would like to provide her with some information on its maker, vintage and value.
A. The mark you enclosed was used by H. P. Sinclaire and Co. It was located in Corning, New York, from 1904 to 1928. Before opening his company, Sinclaire started out learning his craft as a cutter and designer. His company bought blanks from other glass factories and employed a crew of talented designers and cutters. It is believed that all of the pieces were signed with the exception of those that were imperfect.
Your cut-glass pedestal bowl would probably be worth $225 to $325.
• Address your questions to Anne McCollam, P.O. Box 247, Notre Dame, IN 46556. Items of a general interest will be answered in this column. Due to the volume of inquiries, she cannot answer individual letters.
© 2018, Creators Syndicate