Arm Chair c. 18th century

This armchair was made by an anonymous craftsman, out of wood and leather. The lack of a known maker for this chair is interesting in itself. It makes us consider the role of craft guilds and workshops in earlier eras, and the frequent lack of distinction between designer and maker. The style suggests an origin in Europe, perhaps England, during a time when such chairs were symbols of status and comfort, reserved for those of means. Notice the details: the carved legs, the leather upholstery, and the nailhead trim. These features speak to a culture that valued both luxury and tradition, and that created a demand for specialized artisanal skills. Consider how the materials themselves - the specific type of wood, the quality of the leather - reflect trade networks and economic structures of the time. Historians use trade records, guild documents, and even probate inventories to reconstruct the social and economic lives that surrounded objects like this.