What type of ladder back chairs

[mjhall]

Hi, P
Back in 1981, my husband inherited furniture from his grandmother. In the attic were 8 ladder-back chairs - 2 with arms and 6 without. The backs are had decorated with what I think is milk paint. I'm not certain of their age. Can anyone help me identify them? We just don't have room for them anymore and are thinking of moving into a smaller house without stairs.

I've included pictures of both styles with a close-up of the painting on the back. At first I thought it was stenciling, but then I realized that each chair was individually painted.

 

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[cw0909]

looks made in the style of the shaker ladder back, the seat
is slat, not weave or solid. could we see a img of the bottom
the seat

1850s ladder back
https://shakerml.org/blogs/furniture/18677285-side-chair

 

[bradyboy]

looks Amish
Brady

 

[mjhall]

Interesting. I didn't think to look at the bottom. At one point they must have had some other type of seating. My husband thinks it may have been a leather cushion because of the tiny nail holes.

looks made in the style of the shaker ladder back, the seat
is slat, not weave or solid. could we see a img of the bottom
the seat

1850s ladder back
https://shakerml.org/blogs/furniture/18677285-side-chair

 

[mjhall]

It does, but grandmother's house was in Heath, Mass, which is about 19 miles south of Vermont. I wouldn't think Amish furniture would be that far north.

 

[cw0909]

the legs look like pole wood, thats not turned (worked)
IDK,maybe a hobby woodworkers craft project, 1950s-60s ?
done in a shaker style

 

[Peyton Manning]

gonna guess cane seats originally

 

[cw0909]

asked a friend that refinishes furniture prob a rush seat
originally,chair looks to be around the 1950s and repaired
JUST her opinion if all the chairs are like the 2 posted
20-25$ a chair, if your handy you could replace the rush
seats prob more $$ for them then

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/rHUAAOSwFNZWv215/s-l1600.jpg

 

[mjhall]

Thanks for the information. It so happens that I do caning and could replace seating with rush. Thank you for your comments and helpful suggestions.

 

[unclemac]

i have chairs made similar to those that crossed the plains in a covered wagon....have them looked at by an expert, we can only guess from pictures and yours may be more interesting.