Late Antique Furniture

Late Victorian Original Eastlake Walnut tête-à-tête Courting Bench Seat Chair

Late Victorian Original Eastlake Walnut tête-à-tête Courting Bench Seat Chair
Late Victorian Original Eastlake Walnut tête-à-tête Courting Bench Seat Chair
Late Victorian Original Eastlake Walnut tête-à-tête Courting Bench Seat Chair
Late Victorian Original Eastlake Walnut tête-à-tête Courting Bench Seat Chair
Late Victorian Original Eastlake Walnut tête-à-tête Courting Bench Seat Chair
Late Victorian Original Eastlake Walnut tête-à-tête Courting Bench Seat Chair
Late Victorian Original Eastlake Walnut tête-à-tête Courting Bench Seat Chair
Late Victorian Original Eastlake Walnut tête-à-tête Courting Bench Seat Chair
Late Victorian Original Eastlake Walnut tête-à-tête Courting Bench Seat Chair
Late Victorian Original Eastlake Walnut tête-à-tête Courting Bench Seat Chair
Late Victorian Original Eastlake Walnut tête-à-tête Courting Bench Seat Chair
Late Victorian Original Eastlake Walnut tête-à-tête Courting Bench Seat Chair

Late Victorian Original Eastlake Walnut tête-à-tête Courting Bench Seat Chair

Late Romantic Victorian Eastlake Tete a Tete Courting/Conversation Seat. This approximately 150-year-old Late Victorian Courting/Conversation Love Seat is a rare find, like something you would see in a movie set. The rich gold brocade upholstery is in about as nice a condition as it was when newly upholstered -- some 66 years ago. It came from Carbondale, Pennsylvania and was reupholstered by the Carbondale Upholstery Company. Back rest height 30 inches.

Total length of love seat 52 inches. Total depth of love seat is 25 inches. Weight: approximately 35 - 50 pounds. The wood is gilt walnut. The turnings are in the Eastlake Movement style.

The gold upholstery is pretty clean and bright, with no rips or tears, but it could use a bit of dry cleaning. All of the heavy top fringe is clean and intact, but the bottom fringe has some discoloration. The spring seat is original, and some of the original hard rubber caster wheels are marked IRC GOODYEAR 1851.

IRC stands for India Rubber Company. In about 1839, Charles Goodyear discovered the secret of vulcanizing rubber. To make the rubber hard, he added sulfur and heated it. Several wheels are stuck and need to be unfrozen.

The book HERTER BROTHERS (Page 123) tells that Herter used India Rubber Company rubber wheels on their Victorian chairs. The bottom of the seat has a label with the name and address, Carbondale Upholstery Company, Carbondale, Pennsylvania. Although the name has been changed to Levine Upholstery Company, the address remains the same. The current owner graciously explained that the business was started in 1924 by her Levine ancestors, and that it is still in business after 95 years.

Her father took over in 1954 after his return from the Korean War, and he proudly affixed these labels to his high-quality upholstery jobs at the time. She explained that other pieces of his upholstered furniture from that time still exist, and they look just as fresh and new as this Love Seat.

Back in the 19th Century mining heyday in the town of Carbondale, Pennsylvania, this Victorian Courting Seat probably graced the parlor of one of its affluent old mansions, where potential lovers sat and conversed, while sitting in the opposite direction. A tradition of the past, but, ah, so very romantic. The item "Late Victorian Original Eastlake Walnut tête-à-tête Courting Bench Seat Chair" is in sale since Friday, February 7, 2020.

This item is in the category "Antiques\Furniture\Chairs\1800-1899". The seller is "brightday43" and is located in Bonita Springs, Florida. This item can't be shipped, the buyer must pick up the item.

  • Region of Origin: America
  • Age: 1870-1890
  • Color: Gold
  • Style: Eastlake Movement
  • Depth: 25"
  • Sub-Style: American Late Victorian
  • Maker: Unknown
  • Height: 30"
  • Material: Mahogany
  • Width: 52"
  • Original/Reproduction: Original
  • Time Period Manufactured: 1800-1899
  • Type: Love Seat


Late Victorian Original Eastlake Walnut tête-à-tête Courting Bench Seat Chair