This six-stick comb-back chair with a narrow comb is probably my favorite design to make. It’s both a challenge to build and a delight to sit in.
This chair is built using bog oak excavated from Poland that’s between 2,000-4,000 years old. The wood was leftover from a stunning dining table commission built by local furniture maker Andy Brownell at Brownell Furniture.
All the wood came from one boule, yet the bog oak varies in color, which made things a challenge. The wood is also dense and difficult to bring to a high level of finish. As a result, there are a couple small bits of grain tear-out on this chair that were impossible for me to tame. As best I can tell, this ancient oak is as strong as contemporary oak. This particular tree grew very fast, so it has lots of tough earlywood.
This chair is set up for dining or relaxing. The back leans 15° off the seat, and the seat is tilted 5°, so the back is a generous 20° off the floor. The seat is 16-1/2” above the floor, which is a good height for most sitters. Overall, the chair is 39” tall, 28” wide, 23” deep and weighs 16-1/2 pounds.
Like all my chairs, the joints are assembled with hide glue and oak wedges, so the joints are strong but can be easily repaired by future generations. The shoe and arm of the chair are also secured with two blacksmith-made rosehead nails.
The finish is a home-cooked linseed oil/wax finish that has no dangerous solvents. The finish offers low protection, but it is easy to repair by the owner with no special skills or tools.
Purchasing the Chair
This chair is being sold via silent auction. (I’m sorry but the chair cannot be shipped outside the U.S.) If you wish to buy the chair, send an email to lapdrawing@lostartpress.com before 3 p.m. (Eastern) on Friday, March 18. In the email please use the subject line “Chair Sale” and include your:
- First name and last name
- U.S. shipping address
- Daytime phone number (this is for the trucking quote only)
Shipping options: You are welcome to pick up the chair here in Covington, Ky., and also get a free yardstick. I am happy to deliver the chair personally for free within 100 miles of Cincinnati, Ohio. Or we can ship it to you via LTL. The cost varies (especially these days), but it is usually between $200 and $300.
A note on silent auctions: Several people have asked how much previous chairs have sold for via silent auction. Sorry, but that is the “silent” part. I have no desire to run up the price unnecessarily. So bid what you think is fair; that’s all we ask. It’s fair to say that the prices for the chairs sold at silent auction go for far more (two times or three times) the typical $1,400 price when we sell chairs via a random drawing. So for the guy who keeps bidding $100 – we love your confidence.
I apologize if this is frustrating for people who want a chair. I want you to have one, too. I love these chairs and would love to see them in many more homes.
— Christopher Schwarz
For the future repairer, what would the mechanics of getting the wedge out be, especially for the flush tenons?
Heat plasticizes the glue (I use a wet rag and a clothes iron – the moisture helps transmit the heat). Then poke the end of the wedge with an awl and work it out. Make the repair. Add more glue and a new wedge.
Chair turned out beautifully! Stunning.
Thanks for the ballpark price. Given the handwork and skill that goes into these, plus the unusual material, that makes perfect sense.
I’m still convincing myself it’s OK to spend money on furniture. “I can spend money on good tools. Shelving is a tool for holding other tools. Cabinets are enclosed shelving, tables are large shelving, and chairs and beds are shelves to put people on. Right?”
A wonderful idea and product!!
Do you know, or can you make a reasonable guess, at what species bog oak is?
I’ll ask Andy. He might know.
The importer suspected it was European oak, but didn’t have anything more specific. It does look similar to the European oak I have used many times in Germany. And I have a load of it here for my next chair.
Thanks.
Very nice chair.
Boy that’s a nice chair. The tear- out you couldn’t tame only adds to its charm.
Truly gorgeous – and while but a small detail, I really like how the rose heads on those nails match the appearance of the pyramided tenons in the armbow hands!
Cheers,
Mattias
Thanks Mattias,
That small detail was about an hour of fussing to install without cracking the arm. So thanks for noticing!
i also love the look of the nails. might have to incorporate those somehow in my “eventual” 1st chair build. did you clench the nails?
Nope. I can only be so daring….
$101 Bob…
In all seriousness. I’d love to have any of your chairs in my home. Even more, I’d love to be able to make them myself. I’ve got the books, I’ve got the tools. I just don’t have the time right now but I hope to tackle them in the future.
Maybe I should auction off a chair. That is a nice looking chair love the bog oak
I like that you are selling these as a sealed bid auction. But might I suggest you consider making it a second price auction (in the future). This is where the winning bidder is the one who submits the highest bid, but they pay the amount of the next highest submission. This encourages people to bid the fair amount they feel the piece is worth. Though it does reduce the amount you receive! See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickrey_auction for more.