C. 1890's Heywood/Wakefield settee. Divine.

Single seat wicker piece with handsome detailing, c. 1890's.

A little short in the lumbar support department, but it IS ever so handsome.

Rather handsome options to plant one's 19th century duff on, I must say. Daguerreian Dandy shall take one sightly piece for each room of the swish three-storey abode in Boston, and the addition of a extra member of staff for the dusting and general upkeep of these most agreeable pieces, thanking thee. Wicker furniture was absolutely, positively de rigueur in the latter segment of the 19th century, and was most certainly seen in modern homes in the early part of last century. An 1890's 'modern' might order a piece similar to these lovelies above from a catalogue to adorn her home with, thereby shunning the ye old Gothic Revival hulky pieces that harboured ghouls, goblins and arachnids aplenty that Grandma so delighted in furnishing her home with, so many moons ago. American companies, The Wakefield Rattan Company and the Heywood Brothers, united at the close of the century with two factories operating in Massachusetts, one in Illinois and another in California, along with a number of warehouses across the U.S and one in Liverpool, England. The unification of these two powerhouse companies offered consumers items of exceptional craftsmanship and incredible variety. Both companies, whether trading separately or after their merging, labelled their pieces unusually under the seat of the chairs; later Heywood/Wakefield examples will have a celluloid label identifying the manufacturer nailed to the item from the 1920's. Fancy feasting your eyes on a few more knockout wicker pieces (do we have time for a stately baby carriage too? I'd imagine so) in the near future? Daguerreian Dandy assures those pursuing this blog that we'll see more in two shakes of a lamb's tail...