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~ Chris Harter and The Country Furniture Shop~ Handcrafted American Windsor Chairs |
18th Century Furniture Reproductions |
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Welcome to my web site! My name is Chris Harter and I own and operate a one-man Windsor chair and fine furniture-making shop. I have been a Windsor chairmaker for twenty-eight years; with each chair made individually, by hand, using traditional tools and construction methods. All materials, except for the seat, are hand rived from a maple, oak or ash log. This process allows me to get the straightest grain and maximum strength from the wood. Chair legs, stretchers, and arm posts are turned and carved from hard maple. The spindles and steam-bent pieces from an ash or oak log. Hand planes, draw knives, a spoke shave and scraper are the tools I use. It has taken years of experience to develop the skills to use these hand tools properly. Because I don't use templates or mass production methods, I must work 'by eye' to get the right proportions, curves, and angles. This helps me produce chairs that are distinct in their appearance, possessing a fine 'aged' quality. The seat is cut from a clear, white pine plank and hand planed to a two inch thickness. Only hand tools are used to sculpt the seat. For assembly of the chair, all holes are drilled 'by eye' using the brace and bit method. Natural shrinkage along with wedges and glue keep the chairs tight for many generations. The American Windsor chair was originally a painted piece of furniture. I work with traditional milk paints and offer both my standard aged-paint finish; or my 'distressed' aged-paint finish. I also offer a stain and varnish finish. Customers have complete flexibility when choosing chair styles and variations. I can handcraft exact antique copies, work from book references or photos, or produce my own interpretations to suit a customer's needs. Each chair comes branded with my name, which will add to its value over time. The finished Windsor chair is truly a functional work of art, built to last many years and destined to become a cherished heirloom. Side chairs start at $795., arm chairs at $1090. You may also be interested in the other custom made 18th century furniture reproductions that I offer. These are tables, beds, stands, clocks, chest of drawers and other case pieces made from pine, cherry or tiger maple. All are custom-made to order with careful attention to details. I enjoy working closely with my customers and want them to feel free to discuss design, color or size options. Do not hesitate to call me with any questions you may have. The waiting time for your order could be several months or less depending on the size of your order and my backlog. In the Photo Galleries are photos of some of my most popular pieces. Please call or write if you'd like additional photos or information. If you'd like to visit, my showroom is located on scenic Route 20 in the center of New York State, situated between Syracuse and Albany. My hours are generally Monday through Saturday, 9-5. I hope we get a chance to meet soon! Chris Harter04/05/2008 |
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Windsor Chairmaker