This amazing chair has many unusual characteristics. The solid, bowl-shaped seat is supported by three legs, which bow inwards before veering outwards as they reach the floor. This results in a wonderful sense of movement, in which the chair appears to be dancing!
Located above each leg of the chair are three protruding decorative 'knots', which, combined with the shape of the legs, are very unusual features which I have never personally seen before on an Ethiopian chair. Parts of the chair's surface were once adorned with red paint, which has become faded and worn over time. Considering the age of this piece- which dates back to the nineteenth-century - and its use, this medium to large-sized high-backed chair is in good condition. The high, angled backrest of this chair leans slightly to one side, and displays a series of attractive cut-out square decorations.
High backed chairs such as this fine example were an important symbol of status amongst many cultures in the southern and western regions of Ethiopia throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Ex Private Collection, UK
Estimated Period: 19th Century
Height: 86 cm
Seat Diameter: 37 cm
Seat Height from floor: 46 cm
(Click on images to enlarge)
