Ladderback chairs worth keeping?

13 years ago

I bought these chairs off of Craigslist about a year ago and find that I have no room for them in my house. They are not oak, and are lightweight. The rush seats are in good condition but they look rather old. All joints are tenoned (sp?). There are no nails in these chairs.

Can anyone give me an idea of how much these might be worth, or how to find out? I was thinking of selling them on CL again, but I don't want to give them away cheap if there is a chance they're worth more. I only paid $45 for the set of four.

Thanks for any advice!
{{gwi:1383425}}From ladderback chairs

Comments (9)

lindac
13 years ago
I think they are worth easily what you paid....they are very very nice....chairs like that wouldn't have been oak...maybe maple or even pine but for the rungs?
Worth easily what you paid....$25 per chair would be about right I think....
They are really very nice...I hope the ones you are replacing them with are at least aas nice.
Linda C
sweeby
13 years ago
Don't suppose you're in Texas Dawn?...

I agree with Linda about the niceness of the chairs and the Craigslist price point.
Related Professionals
Detroit Furniture & Accessories · Urbandale Furniture & Accessories · Bay Point Painters · Berkley Painters · Franklin Painters · Helena Painters · La Vergne Painters · Lansdale Painters · Maitland Painters · Mastic Beach Painters · Owensboro Painters · The Woodlands Painters · Norwalk Furniture & Accessories · Reston Furniture & Accessories · Walnut Creek Furniture & Accessories
dawn25
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks, Linda C and sweeby! I may not sell them after all. I'm not sure where to put them, though... They are not really very good dining chairs because they're uncomfortable to sit in. I think we may be bigger than the people who originally owned these. LOL! They are also too wide across the front (by about 1/2 inch...ugh) to fit underneath my antique vanity and desks, or I'd use them there. I'm just not sure what to do with them, but I'd be sad to see them go just because they're beautiful and they have history to them.

sweeby, I'm in Arizona. I used to live in Texas, but I don't suppose that helps you :D. Planning any trips? I'd love to give them to someone who could use them in their home in some way. My house just isn't big enough to have extra chairs scattered lightly about. Sigh.
lindac
13 years ago
My parents used to have similar chairs. They put tie on cushions on them....and for a lot of years after leaving home I would sort of turn sideways when talking to my DH at the table and toss my arm over that post on the back....but that poas wasn't there! LOL!
With a seatcushion, those chairs are comfortable to me.
Fori
13 years ago
They are nice, although I don't know anything. I was thinking how those corner posts would hurt if you sat wrong, but a cushion would take care of that!
sunnyca_gw
13 years ago
I have 1 very similar with a cherry finish. I was going to see about replacing the seat & found newspapers from early 1930's in the seat.Can't remember what town but think Davenport, Iowa.So imagine newspapers were used inside a lot of chairs with rush seats!! Yours are very nice & look great with the other wood in your house.
sweeby
13 years ago
We also have seat cushions on ours (very similar to yours), and they're comfortable enough.
I saw some nice cushions at HomeGoods and Tuesday Morning if you're so inclined...
mama goose_gw zn6OH
13 years ago
Hi, dawn25,

You're so lucky to have a set of four chairs. I don't have any experience identifying or pricing antiques, but I have a similar rush-seat ladderback marked Stickley. Have you checked the inside back legs for maker's marks? HTH

Here's a pic of the chair:

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1383423}}
sunnyca_gw
13 years ago
Wow, didn't think to look on back of chair leg, I think mine is identical to mamagoose. It has 3 pieces on the back & bottom rungs are like those.I'll have to look.