Casgliadau Arlein

This chair is made entirely of turned pieces, apart from the seat. It's made of ash, a wood commonly selected for woodturning as its soft and easy to work with when green, with a straight grain, unlike oak which is hard and has a tendency to splity easily when turned. Notice the oval shape of the top of the post - this shows that the wood was unseasoned or green when worked.

The chair is from Ty'n-y-cymmer House, Porth, Rhondda, the ancesteral home of the Morgan family since the 1600's. A small group of turned chairs survive from Wales; all are connected to larger gentry houses, some of which may well be about 500 years old. This is a particularly spectacular example which would have been made for someone of status as chairs were not common to all at this period. The 13th century tax assessment for Merioneth had specified turners, a recognition of the seperate identity of this ancient craft.

A turned chair with triangular seat. The two front legs are extended abobe the seat to take the double arms which are turned spindles. The back of the chair is extended above the normal cresting rail and is formed from seven spindles connected together and to two front spindles by four turned rails. These rails and also two rails beneath seat front have turned rings revolving upon them.