What You Need To Know Before Buying Antique Wicker Chairs
The elaborate aesthetic detail and exquisite strength of antique wicker chairs manufactured during their golden era (1870 to 1930) simply has undeniable lure to many – whether you are a seasoned art-piece collector or just simple folk seeking quality furniture pieces for your home. As the value of antique wicker furniture has considerably appreciated over the years, it is important for one to know a few things before deciding which piece/s to invest on.
By wicker, it means that the material used came from rattan, bamboo or cane. Notable old makers of antique wicker chairs are Heywood Brothers and Company, and Wakefield Rattan Company. America-manufactured pieces exhibit Art Deco and Bar Harbor qualities, while European-made ones follow Victorian Designs.
Art-Deco inspired pieces are best characterized as contemporary and functional. Antique wicker chairs of this influence are cubistic in shape, starkly colored, and simply designed. A recommended site/store for buying these furniture types is Newel Antiques. They have a large inventory of various Art Deco furniture, with round woven backs, arch design backs and square backs. Some chairs also have magazine racks and cup holders included in the design – very functional indeed. Prices range from $825 a piece to $16,500 for a set of five, with the higher-priced ones made of natural split reed. Some of the available wicker chairs have even been featured as props in TV shows or series. Dovetail Antiques is also a good store, with the best and rarest pieces made by Heywood Brothers and Wakefield Company. The said store specializes in matching desk-chair combinations and 4 large-piece parlor sets of white and brown colors, costing $4250 to $6500.
Aside from Art-Deco pieces, Bar Harbor antique wicker chairs are also widely-known. Bar Harbor pieces are styled for comfort – having wide arms, full-depth seating and open-weave designs. For authentic and hard-to-find old items, it is best to buy, once again in Newel Antiques and Dovetail Antiques. It will cost you about $7500 - $9500 for American Mission style pairs and around $675 - $1450 for individual pieces, depending on the original manufacturer. Items from these two shops have most probably gone restoration already. For cheaper buys, one can also scout eBay (with a little wariness) for low-cost deals, with shapely Bar Harbor chairs being sold at around $500. A lot of outdoor Bar Harbor reproductions are also available in stores like The Wicker Shop, in the available colors of golden patina and starched white. The armchair sells for $475 and a loveseat is also available for $875.
While Bar Harbor and Art Deco pieces boast of clean, modern and functional designs, Victorian antique wicker chairs are popular for their eye-catching and ornate details, intricate curves and elaborate upholstery. More specific styles are scroll arm chairs, Gentleman’s arm chairs, serpentine rolled crests, scalloped shaped, and etc. Materials include split cane and oak cane. Same guidelines for Art Deco and Bar Harbor apply in buying Victorian chairs – go for trusted dealers and invest in high prices for genuine antique wicker chairs; or try out the reproductions from the Wicker Shop and other shops if one is on a tight budget and is seeking aesthetic value only.
There are a whole lot more of sites selling antique wicker chairs. It all really depends if one wants authentic antiques. If not, the so-called ‘Yesteryear Wicker’ is always available as an alternative – cheaper wicker furniture of superb quality inspired by 19th century. As important as buying though, is maintaining the pieces bought – as wicker might be damaged by direct sunlight and water. One must use mild cleaning products, and have the antique wicker chairs repaired and refinished once in a while.
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