Bay Colony Antiques is proud to offer for sale this wonderful late 19th century antique Oak architects stool / drafting chair by the Milwaukee Chair Company. The company was founded in 1889 and quickly became one of the biggest employers and producers of furniture in the area. The company produced a wide range of chairs, including office chairs, dining chairs, and rocking chairs. It was known for its high-quality craftsmanship and use of durable materials, which made its products popular with consumers. The original factory was destroyed in the 1899 fire but like a phoenix from the ashes they rose again. The company continued to produce furniture until they eventually closed their doors in the mid 20th century.
The chair has four flared legs with a round bentwood footrest. These pair well with drafting tables and the chair is quite comfortable with an ergonomically shaped 7 splat back that provides the user comfort over extended periods of time. The chair has a woven cane seat that’s free of damage, but this didn’t come to us with a cushion. The seat is a pretty standard size so it should be easy to find a suitable cushion at a big box store. If you did end up wanting to have a cushion custom made it would be a tremendously easy job for any upholsterer. The crest rail has an attractive Tiger Oak grain with large rays present and the chair is in very good condition. Milwaukee Chair Company’s bentwood products are among their most desirable products, and they were one of the first American companies to start incorporating this novel wood bending technique that was achieved by steam treating the wood. The chair is signed by the Milwaukee Chair Company on the iron mechanism that adjusts the height and allows the chair to flex. We photographed this at the lowest setting but if you look closely at our 7th photo there are another few inches of the threaded steel rod to make this taller. The chair measures 17 1/2” wide x 16” deep x 48 1/2” tall at the lowest setting.
