Upholstered Campaign Chair Bed

A mahogany and beech, leather Campaign Armchair that extends to give an angled footrest.

The design of this chair is unusual but not without precedent. A comparable chair is illustrated by Sheraton in his 1802 Cabinet-maker and Upholsterer's Drawing-Book. It is described as a Chair Bed and looks to be a similar size to this example, as opposed to the wider design that the Catherine Street makers Butler and Morgan and Sanders produced. It also differs to those in that the chair was not made to be fitted with posts for a canopy. This chair differs slightly to Sheraton's design in the way in which the hinge is fitted to the fold out frame. Sheraton's hinge placement prevents the frame from collapsing when unfolded to give an angled leg support which rest on its end to the floor. The hinge to this chair is set the opposite way and has inset iron plates to screw in a pair of legs to support the frame. Although the legs are replaced, the only way the extended frame will work is with them. For them to stand vertically when screwed in, the top of the legs are cut to an angle which is very unusual for a pair of screw in legs.

In order for the frame to unfold past the padded arms of the chair, their sides are slightly shaped. When folded, the three parts of the frame are supported by blocks that extend from the side rails. Underneath, the frame there is evidence of support straps for the spare cushions for use when the leg rest is used.

For travel, the back and arms are removable. Each part has a pair of tenons that sit in mortice joints to the seat frame. The arms are then each fixed with a long, square headed bolt from the underside of the frame. The back is then screwed to the arms from the back of the chair.

This chair differs to many campaign armchairs for its use of screws and square head bolts for fixing its parts as opposed to thumb bolts. The design of the folding frame with the angled legs is also very unusual.

This chair is as comfortable as a domestic chair of the period and is similar to chairs that Nelson is known to have owned. It has been reupholstered in leather with a pocket to each side, inspired by those on Nelson's chair. Circa 1810.