# What chairs are these?



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

I found these round back, Morris style or Mission style chairs at an antique dealer. The seller claimsa they were made in Detroit around 1910, however the joinery construction is double dowels... not mortise and tenon. 
Any ideas as to the maker? There is a label which is partially destroyed. Murphy? and the number 858.


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## Boss O' The Shop (Mar 21, 2012)

Nice find! I think you're right...Murphy Chair Co., Detroit (operating ca. 1907).

Link for the following information is here: http://www.stickleyera.info/AmericanMakersM-Q.htm 


*Murphy Chair Co.*

Detroit, MI, _ca._ 1903 – _ca._ 1919, then Owensboro, KY
general line, chairs, footstools
_Shop Marks:_ 1) variations of rectangular decal w/company name and model number, as shown (top refers to Detroit, next two refer to Owensboro), and 2) metal tags at bottom (date unknown, post 1919?):










​


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Great response!*

Thanks for the link, it was great. :thumbsup:
I am sanding all the pieces down to bare wood after knocking them apart since all the joints were loose. It may destroy the antique value but so would having them collapse when someone sat on it and they failed to support the person.


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## Boss O' The Shop (Mar 21, 2012)

I'm with you, Bill...restore them and called it "value added!" The chairs look like they weigh a ton, but I bet they're comfortable to sit it! Enjoy them.

- John

EDIT: Love the photos...the construction is amazing!


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## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

Cool find. I look forward to seeing them restored.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*My chair is no. 858*

I wonder how many were made...

The other significant thing is that the backs are curved rather than straight. These were made in a factory, rather than hand crafted, so there was obviously a production set up utilized to make the curved rails and to mortise the slots. I'll have to look closely to see how the slats were mortised and if they were curved also.


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## rayking49 (Nov 6, 2011)

Man, can't wait to see 'em done.


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

Those are sweet looking chairs. Beautiful QS wood. I too look forward to seeing them refinished.


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## Icutone2 (Nov 4, 2011)

*Great Find*

Great find and can't wait to see the finish also.
Lee


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## liquid6 (Feb 15, 2011)

Nice find. I'm actually a little jealous. Would love to have some chairs like that. What are you going to do for cushions?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Thanks*

They came with cushions...but one of them was blown out in the bottom and the other had a piece of hardboard/Masonite as the backer. I've got all 300 staples partially pulled ready to remove the vinyl. I'm pretty certain they were recovered at some point...vinyl wasn't invented yet in 1910. I may go with leather on the new covers. 
They were $200.00 each as far as the "nice find", but that was reasonable in my opinion. I couldn't begin to make them for that if they were requested by a customer, friend or relative. :no:



liquid6 said:


> Nice find. I'm actually a little jealous. Would love to have some chairs like that. What are you going to do for cushions?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Update*

The corner braces were kinda iffy, so I decided to make new ones. Nothing was 90 degrees and the pieces were too short to rabbet safely....hmmmm.:blink:
I came up with a jig. 
It holds the small pieces safely while I run them over the dado head at the correct height and from the sacrificial fence, roughly 1/4" X 1/4". It worked great.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Cool chairs bill. 
Looks like you didn't waste any time tearing it up. 
Atta boy.


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## bob sacamano (Jan 24, 2012)

nice find


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## garryswf (Aug 17, 2009)

*Howdy William*

Nice find on the chairs Bill, i am guesing the oak those chairs were made with was actually virgin timber!! looking good so far, but i do have one question -- are the seats going to be upholstered? Keep at it chief, i have seen some pretty awsome stuff come out of that Michigan shop of yours.


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

Great find, Bill! Gorgeous wood. 
What were the old cushions filled with?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*cushions are not so old*

They had been recovered in a very thin natural color leather leather. It may have been the original, it's hard to tell, but there were plenty of old staple holes.

One had the bottom blown out and previously had canvas straps across. The other had a Masonite bottom with air escape holes drilled in. There are about 500 small staples in each one. :furious: I can't use the blown out one so I'll take out the staples and see what I can do for a bottom The foam filler is obviously not f4rom the '20's either. :no: They had been refinished one other time from the looks of the varnish drooled on the bottoms or rungs and armrests. It all came off...every last speck....almost.
here's some more progress, sanded and stained.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*more progress*

I used Gorilla Wood Glue for the reassembly. It seems to have worked OK. The chairs are rigid as all get out now.


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## mdntrdr (Dec 22, 2009)

Looks great! :thumbsup:

What Gorilla glue did you use? :smile:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*this one*



mdntrdr said:


> Looks great! :thumbsup:
> 
> What Gorilla glue did you use?  :smile:


wood...............................:yes: http://www.gorillatough.com/


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## autre (Jul 12, 2011)

Superb!

Great find. A great satisfaction it must be to bring them back to life!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*a 'side" benefit*

Now I know how to construct and assemble one of these chairs and what the pitfalls might be. There are some curved mortises on the edges that would require some "planning" but other than that and the very slight curves in the back slats, and other than that and a lot of dowels on an angle or angled tenons and other than that how did I mix that stain....etc.:blink:
Maybe I'll just be happy with these for a while. :laughing: bill


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Update*

I finished the chairs recently including a new seat cushion, but kept the original leather:


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Great job, they look spectacular.

There is a bit of info about The Murphy Chair Company here, including post by his great grandson:
http://www.instappraisal.com/antique-appraisal/murphy-chair-company-owensboro-ky


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## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

Very awesome. A&C style is my favorite and these look great. The QSWO looks fantastic. A few more skill building projects in my shop and then it will be time for me to start building my own mission style furniture. I need to find a good source for the QSWO that won't break the bank too bad. I know you didn't make these from scratch, but you did a great job restoring them.


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## rayking49 (Nov 6, 2011)

Those look awesome Bill. Great job on restoration'


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## vursenbach (Apr 11, 2012)

They look great. Thanks for sharing. This is what makes WWT great.

Sent from my iPhone using Wood Forum


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## autre (Jul 12, 2011)

Makes it all worthwhile. I love restorations! 

Beautiful job, woodn'.


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## Taylormade (Feb 3, 2011)

Heck yeah, Bill! What a great job you've done on these chairs! I'd have a big 'ol cheesy grin every time I sat down. Well done, sir!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*wait til you see the next restore project....*



Taylormade said:


> Heck yeah, Bill! What a great job you've done on these chairs! I'd have a big 'ol cheesy grin every time I sat down. Well done, sir!


Seems as if I can't stop "restoring" these old gems. The next one is a pair of church pews that are driving me nuts, in a good way. I'll start a thread on those. Just one has taken me about a month off and on so far. Cold weather up here will force me into the shop more. :yes: I've had these pew for 50 years and there wher probably 50 - 75 years ols when I got them.....


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## thomask (Apr 6, 2011)

*Rocking Church Pews*

Now those old church pews are neat and I can not wait to see them finished. They are sure a collector's item. Did they come in a longer length and you cut them down?

Great project. :thumbsup:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*There were in a friend's basement*

They were parts and pieces from 2 different pews and I chose the best of the bunch even tho they didn't match, if I recall.
So, it's been a matter of routing a dado to match the profile of the back and seat into the ends and then attach the ends in a manner that will be secure. Probably will use some screws and glue. then fill the screw heads with plugs. They were nailed originally.... :thumbdown: and hide glue which didn't hold.
I really like the Gothic arches on them and the combination of Walnut and the lighter woods. They are currently on "hold" until I make some Mission style quilt racks for Christmas gifts..... :blink:


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## Woodwart (Dec 11, 2012)

Top notch work! I love it! :thumbsup:


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## divern (Feb 17, 2014)

Beautiful work.


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