Gustav Stickley

executed by the Craftsman Workshops of Gustav Stickley, Eastwood, NY

Private Family, Brookline, MA, circa 1902
Thence by descent
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Stephen Gray and Robert Edwards, eds., The Collected Works of Gustav Stickley, New York, 1981, p. 41
David M. Cathers, Furniture of the American Arts and Crafts Movement, Philmont, NY, 1996, p. 144

Overall in very good original condition. The oak surfaces appear to retain their original finish throughout, displaying exceptional figuring and a deep and rich russet brown coloration. The oak surfaces with some surface scratches, abrasions and edge wear consistent with age and use. The top surfaces of the arms are gently worn, and the finish is slightly thinner in select areas as a result of surface contact over time. The proper left arm with an old shallow surface abrasion/loss along the front interior left border approximately 2 x ½ inch in length. The proper right arm with faint traces of a square-shaped score line directly in back of the rear through tenon, a common production flaw in early Bow-Arm Morris chairs when they were marking out the cut-out patterns. The leg posts and rails with some minor seam separations, and the proper right rear leg post with a small age crack, all consistent with the natural expansion and contraction of wood over time (all stable). The oak wooden pegs which support the chair back have been replaced. The chair retains its original leather seat cushion, which shows considerable surface wear, staining, discolorations and one seam separation. Lacking a back cushion, and with replaced rope seat support. A superb example of this rare reverse-tapered Bow-Arm Morris Chair design—a quintessential early chair form for Stickley.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.