What is an Eastern Connecticut Windsor Chair?
The
Eastern Connecticut-Rhode Island border region was the home of a number
of Windsor chair makers during and after the American Revolution.
A whole school of chair making evolved under one family led by Ebenezer
Tracy. The captain, who lived and worked in Lisbon, created a unique and
beautiful style, one marked by bold turnings, widely splayed legs and
painstakingly carved seats.
The captain, his three sons, two sons-in-law, and various apprentices created thousands of highly distinctive chairs in various forms - writing arm, fan back, bow back, continuous arm and settee, among others. Today, surviving Tracy chairs are highly prized by collectors.
Windsors of Stonington specializes in reproducing interpretations of this great master - and other regional styles - in nearly all details, except the use of Chestnut wood, which no longer grows in the area's rocky soil.
About Bob
Bob Gilbert has been making Windsor chairs since 1990 when he took up woodworking as a release from his high-pressure job. An avid bike rider and a professional writer, Bob finds time to run Windsors of Stonington out of a converted Ice House on his property in Stonington, Connecticut. Many a passerby have seen the lights burning in the ice house until late at night.
Windsors of Stonington chairs are featured at River Bend Farm Bed & Breakfast in Williamstown, MA. Originally the home and tavern of a Williamstown founder, this 1770 Georgian Colonial provides enjoyment and comfort for history and antique lovers alike.
Contact
Bob Gilbert
704 Al Harvey Road
Stonington, CT 06378
860.367.4754
chairs@windsorsofstonington.com
the 'ice house'
