Windsor Chairmaking

James Mursell

Windsor chairs are a beautiful and traditional feature in any home. Some three hundred years of tradition lie behind chairs made today. While sound joints are essential, it is the sensitive shaping of each component that leads to a fine chair. This lavish book celebrates their history and explains their heritage. It compares and contrasts the distinct Windsor designs from England and America.

Tools, techniques and the selection of materials are extensively covered.

Detailed plans and measurements for four chairs [two English, two American] are provided and allow makers on one side of the Atlantic to attempt a chair from the other side.

A unique study of a magnificent 18th century armchair brings to life the 260 year old story told by the tool marks and other clues left by the maker.

Guidance and techniques explain how to design your own chair from scratch, taking into account the anthropomorphic nature of these chairs and the messages they can send out.

ISBN: 9780719843624

Published: March 27, 2023

Format: Ebook

ISBN: 9780719842313

Width: 215mm

Height: 260mm

Pages: 192

Published: March 27, 2023

Format: Paperback

James Mursell has been making Windsor chairs since the mid-1990s. Initially he learnt from chairmakers in England and America but to a large extent is self-apprenticed, learning from constant experimentation and trial and error. He now teaches his craft from his home where he has built a teaching workshop on his farm. He promotes Windsor chairmaking by exhibiting and demonstrating widely around England and regularly writes for British woodworking magazines. Resident - West Sussex