THIS CHAIR IS AN EXAMPLE FROM A LOWLAND SCOTTISH WINDSOR CHAIR MAKING TRADITION WHICH FLOURISHED DURING THE WHOLE OF THE 19TH CENTURY AND INTO THE EARLY YEARS OF THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY IN THE TEXTILE PRODUCING TOWN OF DARVEL AND POSSIBLY THE NEARBY DOWN OF NEW MILNS, A FEW MILES SOUTH OF GLASGOW. MAKERS WERE DESCRIBED WITHIN THE GENERAL SCOTTISH TERM FOR WOODWORKERS AS 'WRIGHTS' AND ALTHOUGH IN EXCESS OF TEN WRIGHTS ARE RECORDED WORKING IN THESE TOWNS IN THE 19TH CENTURY, ONLY THREE OF THEM HAVE BEEN DEFINITELY LINKED TO WINDSOR CHAIRMAKING, BY VIRTUE OF THEIR NAMES STAMPED ON THE EDGE OF CHAIR SEATS. IN ADDITION TO THIS AND A FURTHER EXAMPLE STAMPED BY J MCMATH, SIMILAR CHAIRS STAMPED BY J BLACK AND H SHIELDS, HAVE ALSO BEEN RECORDED.

THIS CHAIR DESIGN FORMS AN IMPORTANT PART OF SCOTTISH FURNITURE HERITAGE, SINCE IT REPRESENTS A RARE AND EASILY DISTINGUISHABLE TURNED CHAIR TRADITION IN A REGION WHERE MANY FORMS OF JOINED CHAIRS WERE THE COMMON FORM OF SEATING. SEE ALSO DAVID JONES, DARVEL CHAIRS PUBLISHED IN REGIONAL FURNITURE, VOL IX, 1995, FOR A FULLER DISCUSSION OF THIS TRADITION.