Chairs of Oxford - Part Two

Duke Humfrey’s Library, Oxford

To walk from the High Street to Broad Street in Oxford is the best architectural experience in England. Harry Potter cosplayers and assorted TikTok dancers aren’t wrong, it’s a stunning backdrop. You left me last week halfway along Turl Street, almost carried by the crowds of summer tourists towards the Bodleian library. My aim was to renew my reader’s ticket and dive within, still on the hunt for Windsors.

Last year I spent a few hours researching chairs in the Bodleian. Amongst the books I discovered was an early 20th century study of American Windsors by Wallace Nutting, who reinvigorated interest in the vernacular furniture of the early USA. He also spun his enthusiasm into at thriving commercial venture, much like Gustav Stickley. There’s a subject for another post, if someone could remind me…

After a short wait in the Admission’s Office, I went through the time-honoured reading of the Bodleian Oath - “I hereby undertake not to remove from the Library, nor to mark, deface, or injure in any way, any volume, document or other object belonging to it or in its custody; not to bring into the Library, or kindle therein, any fire or flame, and not to smoke in the Library; and I promise to obey all rules of the Library”. After this solemn promise not to break out the Benson & Hedges, I was issued with my renewed pass (50% off for Art Pass holders, keep it under your hat).

If I’m honest, I was more than happy mooning about amongst the stacks, aimlessly scanning the shelves. The library was almost empty, students long departed this far into summer. I took a seat in the Upper Reading Room, halfheartedly studying a medieval ballad and roleplaying as an academic. Staff were more than helpful, but none recognised my grainy photocopies of chairs and I left with a couple of email addresses of those who might assist. Five minutes on Google at home might have won similar results, but what then of my daydreams of minor academic controversies in congenial surroundings?

My email enquiry was booted around the pitch until it ended up in the capable hands of Andrew Honey. Andrew is a book conservator at the Bodleian, and he’s also, as it turned out, a member of the Regional Furniture Society. Just the chap. We arranged to meet the following week.

Bodleian “Bob-Tail” Windsor Backstool

The Special Collections Department at the Bodleian is pretty, well, special. Andrew took me upstairs to a well-lit, air-conditioned room with the quiet hum of purposeful activity. I keep a tidy workshop but this was another level, and I found it hard not to be sidetracked by the fascinating documents layed out on worktables next to the tools of the book conservator’s trade. At the far end of the room, I could see three chairs.

In our exchange of emails, Andrew had explained that he could show me an example of the Bodleian Reader’s chair (the subject of my grainy photocopy) alongside a smaller Windsor backstool which went previously unrecorded. I was immediately struck by the similarities between this smaller chair and the Windsor settee I had studied at Jesus College the week before. Most obviously, the crest was identical in design and execution, and further investigation drew other similarities. This isn’t the place for a scholarly comparison (and I’m not sure I’m best placed to write one!) so I’ll spare the details, but this was quite an exciting chair.

Bodleian Reader’s Chair

Next up for our consideration was the Reader’s chair. I hadn’t seriously considered a link between these chairs and the Jesus College settee, as they seemed quite distinct in the (small, usually black and white) photographs I’d looked at. On close inspection, though, things were different. There are several stylistic similarities, and the methods of construction of all three types of Windsor appear identical. One interesting feature is that all have score marks under the seat to situate the leg mortises - a technical detail, but an unusual one as far as I’m aware. The Reader’s chair is from a group of 36 - and there’s a Bodleian daybook entry from 1756 recording their purchase from a Mr Munday. A solid attribution, although we can’t be sure if Mr Munday was a dealer or maker. Even so, a recorded date alongside the strong similarities in these Windsors gives us a good indication of when all three were made. I’ll go out on a limb and suggest that they were made in Oxford, too. This must have been a thriving local business with wealthy institutions for clients (we should all be so lucky!).

As we were discussing these similarities, it became obvious that Andrew had given a lot of thought to these Reader’s chairs, both how they were made and how that reflected their intended use. He’d noticed that the back was upright and the seat, although comfortable, was narrow. We arranged two back-to-back and noted some measurements, as Andrew had a theory he wanted to test. Leaving the chairs behind, we left the modern laboratory and headed for the oldest part of the library.

Back To Back Bodleian Reader’s Chairs

Duke Humfrey’s Library was restored by Sir Thomas Bodley (hence Bodleian) in 1598, and continued to be refitted and refurbished over the centuries. It’s an early example of the familiar stall library, with tall shelves fitted in rows - see the photo at top. The space between these rows originally had a fixed bench for scholars. This arrangement, rather like a choir stall, reminded me again of the religious background to Oxford’s architecture and interiors. Andrew’s theory is that the Reader’s chair was intended to replace these benches, and so the narrow confines of the stalls defined the chair’s dimensions. As a sometime maker of fitted furniture, I’m quite taken with this idea. It’s a comfort to know that my fellow cabinetmakers had to solve similar problems in the past, although I’ll allow that their solution in this case was slightly more elegant than my early efforts in MDF.

These off-the-cuff research trips to Oxford have been rewarding in several ways. As a chairmaker, I’m sure that such close study of early Windsors will remain an inspiration for future work. As an amateur furniture historian, it’s been exciting to draw comparisons between previously unrecorded chairs and more widely-known pieces. Above all, it’s been a pleasure to meet people and share my enthusiasm for these remarkable examples of commonplace furniture.

With thanks to the staff of the Western Art Print Room, Dr Robin Darwall-Smith and Owen McKnight of Jesus College, and Andrew Honey of the Bodleian Library.

Next Episode, I explore the new V&A in East London. Gor blimey etc.

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