Well....the blue paint and likely the seat are not original. But it's impossible to date them without seeing the way they are constructed....do the back splats go completely through the uprights, what do the bottom of the legs look like, how high is the seat from the floor...is there wear on the back of the top splat?
But the shape and style is that of a chair dating to about 1860...or a few decades after....But that style was reproduced.
Linda C

The reason I thought the blue paint was original was because there isn't any paint under it, nor does there seem to be any finish beneath the paint. The back splats do not go all the way through and there is no wear on the back of the top splat. The height of the seat is about 17". The bottom of the legs are slightly tapered, there is only 1 crossbar on the bottom back of the chair, not 2 as there are on the front and sides.

Thanks for anymore information you can give me!

I'll bet they were un finished furniture of maybe 20 25 years ago....
There was a lot of that sort of stuff....with the rush seats. If they had been old they would have has split hickory....which is why I said the seats were not old.
Also if they were old the construction would have the back slpats tenoned into the rails....and there would be wear on the top back splat....and likely the rear legs would be shorter than the front from shoving back from a table....and the seat would be about an inch lower.
Worth....depending on where you are....$35 a chair?...Maybe not that much.
Linda C

Thanks for the information Linda! I just didn't want to sell them for $10. or $20. each and find out later they were worth a lot more.

Don't sell too cheaply! I've been trying to find even one or two ladderbacks to match one I have (from the 1950s?). They seem scarce in the shops here, and I didn't see any on e-bay.

ladder backs are easy to find in the northeast. I agree they are worth under $30-35 each. Those aren't really as pretty as many I have seen. sorry.

Hello, I noticed this post in the internet about Ladder back chairs
This particular chair I have the link to was given to my parents about 30 years ago but not sure how old it was at that time and I know that he said it was from Norway
can anyone tell me what this one is called
it has the woven seat along with the ornate design in the backrest
we do not know much about chairs so any help would be appreciated
approximately how old and how much much it is worth
Thanks much
John

Here is a link that might be useful: http://fargo.craigslist.org/fuo/1665602700.html

I've fallen in love with this dining room and ladderback chairs. Lydia, can you tell me what you think, if they are old or not? I'm considering buying them!