Item 9410 4 Renaissance Leather Chairs Dimensions Width 20, Height 39, Depth 18 (in inches) Wood Solid oak Country France Date Circa 1870 Price $ 3,795 Description These antique chairs, hand-carved from solid oak, combine a number of unusual elements resulting in a rustic, Renaissance or even Gothic look.  Particularly remarkable is the richly colored, thick leather wound around the frame to form a supportive and very comfortable seat.  The hand-carved finials, in the shape of robust acanthus leaves, are striking.  The antique brass nails lend a certain charm to the chairs and hint that their geographic origins could well lie in the rugged hills of southwestern France.  Made in the 19th century, it is rare to find a set of such unusual chairs not only intact, but preserved in such good condition.  Ultimately, their stylistic roots lie in late 16th century French chairs noted for their straight backs, square-shaped stretcher, rectilinear construction and decorative carving.  Also known as chaises à dos, this design was used to distinguish this type of chair from those reserved for seating royal visitors.  These chairs would go well with the oak table 9451. Reference  Boccador, Jacqueline, Le Mobilier Français du Moyen Age à la Renaissance, Editions d’Art Monelle Hayot (Saint-Just-en-Chaussée, 1988); Rousseau, Francis, Le Grand Livre des Meubles (Copyright Studio, Paris, 1999) Uses The chairs are ideal for an informal kitchen or dining area.