Sculptural Carved Rootwood Armchair

An unusual and highly decorative sculptural armchair, fashioned from a substantial section of naturally formed rootwood, possibly teak, and displaying a wonderfully organic, free-flowing design. The chair has been skilfully carved and shaped to follow the natural contours of the timber, incorporating sweeping branches, twisting roots and irregular openings to create an almost abstract, sculptural form. The generously shaped seat has been carefully hollowed and smoothed, with the natural extensions of the timber forming the arms and an impressive, dramatically rising backrest. The whole is supported on an integral rootwood base, giving the chair an appealing sense of movement and individuality and with a flat piece to put your drink!. The timber displays attractive swirling grain, natural knots, burr figuring and characteristic fissures, enhanced by a rich honey-coloured finish and warm golden patina. Possibly the work of Maxi Lane, a maker believed to have been associated with the Andover area of Hampshire, although this attribution remains unconfirmed. Maxi Lane : The sculptor – who famously cut through his meal, a table and chairs in an Andover restaurant in the 1970s because the steak was said to be tough! He was incredibly strong – in his he was a heavily muscled 15 stone and could bend and snap six-inch nails with his bare hands. Abandoned by his Irish tinker father, Maxie was left with an aunt in Bristol at a very young age before moving to Weyhill 50 years ago where he lived with wife Iris. His experiences serving in the Army and Navy are well documented in his two autobiographical books – Running and Sea Running. Following a longstanding love of woodwork, Maxie sculpted ornamental artworks from the trees he felled. His mammoth sculpture – The Last Supper Table – is on permanent display at Furzey Gardens, in the New Forest, and is the largest English elm sculpture in the world. He was also an accomplished artist and held exhibitions all over the world, including in New York and at the Ideal Home Exhibition in Olympia, in London. His notoriety led to him being a guest on the Russell Harty and Esther Rantzen television chat shows, as well as featuring in most national newspapers. He died at the age of 104 in 2014.