Arts & Crafts Oak Dining Chairs by William Birch from Waring And Gillow, Set of 8

A set of eight Arts & Crafts chairs by William Birch. Retailer’s label Waring and Gillow. Circa 1905. The labels all state Warings, along with Waring & Gillow, which would have been the time the two companies amalgamated.

A genuine set of eight, each chair stamped 1 to 8.

The seats have been completely reupholstered, which includes being re-webbed along with a barrier cloth, and covered in a natural birch coloured linen fabric. These comply with fire regulations.

The oak frames are in very good clean condition, showing some light knocks and signs of use. There is a historic repair to the top of one roundel to a chair back. Please refer to the last photograph. The chairs have been cleaned and waxed.

Photograph number 6 is a good representation of the colour of the linen. Please get in contact if you require a swatch of the fabric.

All of the chairs are sturdy with no loose joints.

The armchairs are 106cm high x 61cm wide x 59cm deep. The inside arm width is 46.5cm at the front then tapering out.

The single chairs are 98cm high x 45cm wide at the front seats x 47cm deep.

The seat heights are 51cm on all chairs.

William Birch of High Wycombe was an Arts and Crafts furniture designer. The firm specialised in chair making and pioneered the development of Arts and Crafts furniture locally, employing well-known designers such as E.G. Punnett and George Walton They were a major supplier of furniture for Liberty, Waring & Gillow and Goodyer’s of Regent Street.