A full set of true Empire chairs is hard enough to find, but a set with their original handwoven cane seats intact is something altogether different. These date to around 1830–1845, crafted with mahogany flame veneer in the early American Empire period, with elegant sabre legs and curved back rails that show both skill and restraint.
Cane seating wasn’t chosen simply for its beauty. In the Southern states, it was prized for comfort in heat and humidity, allowing air to circulate in a way that heavy upholstery never could. It was practical, breathable, and refined all at once. Imported from Asia and hand split from the rattan vine, each strand of cane was woven entirely by touch, not by sight. Many of the men and women who crafted these seats were blind or visually impaired artisans who learned the pattern by feel alone. Chair caning provided them with independence and their skill gave life to the furniture that now defines an era.
Sets like this rarely survive intact. Through generations of use, most were separated, sold, or altered. The fact that these six have remained together for nearly two centuries speaks volumes about the families who cared for them. Their original cane has aged beautifully, showing the kind of honest wear that only time can give, yet the seats are still sturdy and usable today.
**This set of six is available as shown, and there is also a seventh matching chair in excellent structural condition that will need its seat recaned. If you’re looking to build a larger collection, it can easily be added to the set.
16.5w x 18d x 31.5h
Seat 17.5h
$1,850 for the set of six
Free local delivery
Nationwide shipping available.
A full set of true Empire chairs is hard enough to find, but a set with their original handwoven cane seats intact is something altogether different. These date to around 1830–1845, crafted with mahogany flame veneer in the early American Empire period, with elegant sabre legs and curved back rails that show both skill and restraint.
Cane seating wasn’t chosen simply for its beauty. In the Southern states, it was prized for comfort in heat and humidity, allowing air to circulate in a way that heavy upholstery never could. It was practical, breathable, and refined all at once. Imported from Asia and hand split from the rattan vine, each strand of cane was woven entirely by touch, not by sight. Many of the men and women who crafted these seats were blind or visually impaired artisans who learned the pattern by feel alone. Chair caning provided them with independence and their skill gave life to the furniture that now defines an era.
Sets like this rarely survive intact. Through generations of use, most were separated, sold, or altered. The fact that these six have remained together for nearly two centuries speaks volumes about the families who cared for them. Their original cane has aged beautifully, showing the kind of honest wear that only time can give, yet the seats are still sturdy and usable today.
**This set of six is available as shown, and there is also a seventh matching chair in excellent structural condition that will need its seat recaned. If you’re looking to build a larger collection, it can easily be added to the set.
16.5w x 18d x 31.5h
Seat 17.5h
$1,850 for the set of six
Free local delivery
Nationwide shipping available.
