High-Back Windsor High Chair

Windsor chairs began to be made in America in the 1740s. They were constructed from a variety of woods, the properties of each suitable for its particular role. Turned members were generally of maple, a hard wood that could be crisply turned. The spindles and crest rails were usually of ash, oak, or hickory—woods with wiry strength that could be easily bent. The seats were most often of pine or yellow poplar—soft woods that could easily be shaped. The chairs were finished with paint to mask the different figures and colors of the woods.