Rare Alps Folk Armchair

In the mountain villages of the Alps and Alsace, a chair was cut from flat boards and pegged together, its decoration sawn into the wood rather than applied. Found in Lille and dating to the 19th century, it is built from solid planks, a tall back pierced with a heart above a shaped opening, flat open arms, all set on a trestle base pegged and wedged together. Chairs made this way belong to the Alpine folk tradition, put together by a village carpenter with wedged joints and no nails, the pierced heart standing in for any fancier ornament. Sylvie stands it against a wall in an entry, a sculptural seat more looked at than sat in.