This is a Victorian Wheel Back armchair. Wheel Backs chairs were originally made in England starting around 1840 but after about 1860 most were made in the U.S. due to better availability of the necessary woods.
The carefully bent back rim and arms were made from elm. The carved seat was also of elm and the legs and spindles for the back are made of beech.
The chair is tightly put together by inserting the spindles and legs into drilled holes and consequently no nails were used. This type of chair was no longer made after about 1890.
I bought ours in the mid 60’s in a lower Manhattan warehouse that received huge shipments from England about once a month. Households in England were going modern and were getting rid of their old stuff. The Wheel Backs are advertised on the Internet for about $1000. If it had the original paint, it would be valued at 20 times that price.
(Editor’s note: Palisades resident Howard Yonet has an interesting collection of curios from around the world and with his permission, Circling the News is publishing one a week. About the collector: Dr. Howard Yonet was born in Brooklyn in 1934 and attended Brooklyn College. He went to Baylor Medical School and then returned to do an internship at Bellevue Hospital. Yonet completed his residency at the Manhattan V.A. and the Montefiore Hospital. During this time he went skiing in Vermont and the Catskills, and while traveling found barns filled with early American pieces. This led to his interest in American Antiques.
In 1965, he married Daniele, who was originally from Nancy, France. During the Vietnam War, Yonet was drafted as a medical officer and stationed in Landstuhl, Germany (1966-1969). This was close to the French border, which meant he and Daniele and could visit her family.
While abroad, the Yonets took weekend trips through France and Italy, purchasing many interesting pieces at flea markets.
The family settled in Pacific Palisades in 1970 and Yonet practiced general radiology until 2006. He continued to acquire antiques and collectables at estate and garage sales and the Salvation Army Store. He also enjoyed looking for collectibles while traveling in Montana, Idaho, Colorado and Massachusetts. Daniele’s family helped add to his collection.)
A beautiful chair. I love this.