I'm curious as to who may have been the maker, and what or who the strange carved figures might represent. There is a mostly illegible label on the seat bottom, that may say: Toley Mfg. Co.; also printed on the label is: "D 115" with a "B" below it. The rectangular paper label has a thin orange border line just inside the edge. I know the family that originally had the chair lived in Chicago. Does anyone recognize this?

Here's a full shot of the chair.

It might be Tobey. Can you post a picture of the label. Cool chair.

Thanks, Frank. The chair is not in my possession, but as I recall, the paper label is roughly 2 3/4" x 4", and is glued partially to the stringer (proper term?) and partially to the underside of the seat. It has a single, fine orange (possibly was red) line border about 3/16" inside the perimeter.

That doesn't sound like the Tobey label. Their label is round...

Good Morning Ron,
Welcome to the Arts and Crafts Society and we hope you will return often as there is a lot to be learned on thses different forums.

The chair you were showing is a good example of an unknowen artist with the carvings but, unfortunately it is not an Arts and Crafts piece. I personally being a carver myself enjoyed looking at the detail of the carvings.

Respectfully,

Ralph Jones

I respectfully disagree with Ralph. The chair is from the arts and crafts period. It is made of thick quartersawn oak and has keyed through-tenons. While most pieces weren't carved (this was a reaction against the popular machine carving of the time), some were. Ahand carved piece would be even more in keeping with the arts and crafts tradition.

I agree from the wood selection and the construction, i.e. pinned mortise and tenon, that the piece is from the Arts & Crafts period. Early Onondaga pieces had tobacco leaf carvings on the slats. Early Gus had carvings. Charles Rolf had highly intricate carved pieces.
However, non of these artists/companies had anything that was truly representational, but more stylized carvings. I don't believe it to be Tobey as I have not seen it in some of their old catalogs. Whomever made it did a nice job. Chicago during the turn-of-century was a large hub for furniture sales. Tobey was was there of course. But other large department stores like Marshall fields sold Gus pieces.

Thanks for the replies. A little additional information: The original owner was, himself, a woodcarver, and had been employed by a furniture co. in Chicago- The Windsor Folding Bed Co., from about 1892 to 1894. Because the carving is so unlike his known work, I feel it was not likely his, but I suppose there is always that possibility. Does anyone know if the Windsor Co. ever did anything akin to this chair?

Hi. Not to split hairs, but, Ralph simply said that the chairs weren't aren't Arts and Crafts pieces. He didn't say they weren't of that time period. I think there may be a difference. Thanks.

I understand your point, Tim. So to be clear, I believe this chair is an Arts and Crafts piece made during the Arts and Crafts period for reasons I have stated above.

ya I'm with frank, its not the norm it a bit odd but with the 1/4 sawn oak and keyed through-tenons what more do you want? It could be English or German? What ever it is its A & C. Ralph I dont get why you dont think it is?

I have further info on this chair...the label reads The Tobey Furniture Co. Nuriber D 115 B.
does this help?

Wisbloom-

We may get to the bottom of this yet! Is that really "Nuriber"? Or did you mis-spell "Number"? Ron

If it is indeed Tobey Furniture Company, you can read a history here:
Tobey Furniture Company of Chicago



Lauren

Thanks for the link, Lauren. If it is, indeed, by the Tobey Co., what about the label? Others on the forum, who are expert in the A & C field, have said Tobey had oval labels & metal tags- they apparently have no knowledge of this label. Would it likely be older than the other "known" labels?

Ron...that could be a mispelling. Does anyone know of any other examples or catalogs available online? Lauren thanks for the history link on this company, the link on that page is how I ended up here.. I was very suprised at the picture when I saw it.

From what I can see in their advertising, the copper label (seen in the image below. Philistine - 1901) was used between about 1900-1910. If this piece was manufactured before that date, it may have a different label on it which would be nice to see. The company has roots going back to 1855, but the "Tobey Furniture Company" as we know it was formed in 1875 and continued to operate until 1954.

Read about the origins of the Company: Charles Tobey, from The History of Chicago 1886.

The hope is, I guess, that the piece might be a design of G. Stickley from the time of his relationship with the Tobey Company.

Here is an image of a piece from Treadway/Toomey


Lauren

Thanks again, Lauren, for the links re the Tobey Company. The original owner of the chair lived & worked in Chicago from ca 1889 to 1915, which would have been the most likely time period he would have acquired it. As a woodcarver & woodcarving dept. foreman for the Windsor Folding Bed Co., he worked closely with their designer, Frederick Meyenschein, who also had designed furniture in New York prior to coming to Chicago. Does anyone know if Meyenschein had any connection (as a designer)with the Arts & Crafts movement?

Ron

p.s.- perhaps with wisbloom's help, we can obtain a photo of the label & furnish it to the Arts & Crafts Society.