Armchair

Carpenters in French Illinois used a variety of woods available nearby to make chairs. Hardwoods, such as oak, were used for legs and stretchers; softwoods, such as pine, were shaped for seats; and springy woods, such as ash, were needed for tops and spindles. Brown, black, dark red, green, or blue paint hid all the different woods used in one chair. Often chair seats were made with straw or elm-bark seats; more expensive ones were covered with cloth. An armchair was valued at 12 livres in the estate inventory of Marie Catherine Baron in Kaskaskia, 1748.

Made by Franklin Woodworking, Prairie du Rocher, IL, 1991

© Illinois State Museum 31-Dec-96