Furniture

"IT IS UNDERSTOOD that Messrs. Peter McDonald, of McDonald Bros., carriage builders, and Mardell Falt, of Falt Bros., are to establish a furniture factory at the East End. They are beginning the erection of a warehouse adjoining Falts' Mills, for the purposes of the proposed business." [Casket, 28 October 1897]

"NOTICE, To be sold by Public Auction on Thursday the 14th day of October next at 11 o'clock forenoon, at the Bishop's house (so called) the following articles, being the remaining portion of the Late Right Rev. Bishop Fraser's Furniture: Beds & Bedding, Chairs, tables and table covers, Knives & forks, A Book case, Strecher [sic], Rugs and Carpets, Kitchen utensils, And other articles, too tedious to mention. JOHN FRASER. DUNCAN GRANT. Admrs. Antigonish, 30 Sep. 1852." [Casket, 7 October 1852]

"We speak of the furniture factory at the East End managed by Messrs. Falt and McDonald. At their showrooms, which are situated immediately opposite the factory, handsome bed-room suites, tables, chairs, wardrobes, desks, sideboards, halltrees, in oak, pine, cedar, elm, and other woods, are on exhibition and for sale. Genuine taste, skill, solidity and artistic design are all evidenced in the manufacture and finish of these goods." [Casket, 27 January 1898]

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Item:SLAT BACK/LADDER-BACK CHAIR
Date: approx. 1900
Dimensions: approx. 77.5 cm high, 40 cm wide and 38 cm deep

Comments: This straight-back chair came from the Degruchy family of Havre Boucher. With its board seat, two slats in the back and four stetchers (rungs) at the base, this piece of furniture has little pretence to style. Its design is plain, sturdy and functional. The front and back posts tend to taper, but there is no fine turning, no shaped crest slat or decorative stencilling on this piece. This style of chair would have been familiar to settlers from Western and Northern Europe. The materials used in making such chairs were usually local. According to George MacLaren, early Nova Scotia chairs were made of a variety of hardwoods: maple for the posts, birch or ash for the slates and hickory or ash for the rungs. Early Canadian chairs were painted rather than varnished. The popular colours were green and light brown. The paint served an important aesthetic purpose, for it concealed the varying grains of the different woods used in the construction.

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