Scottish Vernacular Caithness Chip-Carved Crofter Chair 1918-1939

Beautiful Arts & Crafts revival Caithness chip-carved crofter chair from circa 1918-1939 by McIvor & Allan, noted woodchip carvers from Castletown, Caithness. - A characteristic early 20th Century Caithness low crofter chair with unique features and idiosyncratic design features associated with this Northern tradition of crofter and wright chair making. - McIvor & Allan (established c.1902 - 1955) were based in Castletown and produced exquisite and skilled examples of locally made wooden furniture and products with unique chip-carved designs that were of high quality and led to exports around the world linked with Caithness. They employed the chip carving technique, which had Indian / Arabic origins, which later became firmly established in Northern Europe and Scandinavia (as shown in some of our W&W Antiques Swedish Folk items). The chip carving technique gained significant popularity in the 19th century as a fashionable craze and was taken up by the leisured classes. - The chair likely made from American walnut stained throughout and produced as a low crofter chair in the inter-war craft revival years - Five upright spindle backs framed with chip carved cross splats - Front legs, chip carving to the front and outer surfaces of the legs, seat rail outer and upper surfaces and extensive chip-carving to the uprights and curved top seat back. The front and rear legs are linked by simple stretchers and the characteristic and idiosyncratic seat made of a single plank and three cross stretchers (for sock drying!), two to the front and one to the rear. - The low crofter chair is in good solid antique condition with small evidence of historic woodworm and repairs. - Products were made to special order and this accounts for variation in chip carving as well as one-off designs W&W Antiques remain huge advocates for Scottish vernacular furniture and in particular beautiful regionally produced chip-carved gems such as this. It also highlights the links to Scandinavian and Indian / Arabic decorative carving. Ready for a new home for decorative utility for the next 100+ years. *The Scottish spongeware cup is not included in this listing, but is available from W&W Antiques separately, please contact us for multiple item shipping.