Camp chairs

[tenngun]

At one time I was alight camper and kept my gear very light.Then I got married and had an instant family my camp got bigger and my hc/pc suffered.The last few years I have been unabel to get to camps,now I want to start hitting the camps again.My wife is unable to go due to health and I'll be solo camping.Will be in a wedge and keep preety simple.One thing however is being older then dirt is I find sitting on the ground a might harder then it used to be.I'm moving from the westren fur trade to 1790-1820 ozark deerhunter,small plot farmmer small time whisky maker(no I dont make shine)Whats a good camp chair, thats hc/pc for the trans mississippi? :idunno:

 

[54ball]

How about a simple ladder back chair. These date way back and you can find examples that may need new rush in the seat for under 10 bucks.

 

[Keb]

Windsor chairs are the perfect hc chair. Simple cage back aka as bird cage, are cheap and easy to find. I've found a few from 1800-1830 for under $50.00 in antique shops and auction sales.

I found one like this (has old paint & stencil) for $40.00:

2 like this for $50.00:

Some of these old chairs are cheaper than "modern" made camp chairs and these chairs are correct for outdoor use, too.
Yer pal, Keb

 

[Birdman]

DON'T KNOW WHAT YER REALLY LOOKING FOR BUT i'VE USED A CRUDE THREE LEGGED MILKING type STOOL FOR YEARS(oops darn finger on them cap buttons grrrr)or ya can always go four legged if yer balance ain't what it used to be HAHAHA. nOW NO BACK ON IT TO SIT N REST INTO BUT FOR COOKEN NEAR THE FIRE, SLIPPEN MOCS ON N OFF N SUCH, WORKS FINE N DANDY--just a thought is all, also small n easy to carry camp to camp come evening entertainments

 

[tenngun]

have anybody seen the folding chairs used on warships of the time,were they used on land or camping.Did officers in the army carry solid chais of the windsor style :idunno:

 

[Keb]

"An Encampment in St. James Park ”“ Sandby 1780"
These are ladder back chairs with cane seats. I'm no sercher but I found this one quick.

 

[Coot]

Windsor and ladderback chairs are in the period but their use would imply a family relocating to a new area with a wagonload of household gear. That said, Mrs Coot & I use them in our marquee.
Another smaller & lighter alternative would be folding stools. I have made a pair of these that are based on the set (of either 16 or 18) that G. Washington ordered in 1776 for his dining tent. His were mahogany with leather seats, mine are painted ash with hemp canvas seats - the plans are online - google "george washington camp stool plans".

 

[Rifleman1776]

I'll probably get stoned for saying this, but those very non-pc slide-apart chairs are the best thing going for ronny. I know about the older, tired, huring back issue. I made one to fit me, complete with curve for max comfort and support. The pc chairs shown just won't give you the rest and support needed. Keep in mind, we are, on the whole, much older than the original mountain men or Rev. period officers. I know some will argue that suffering is part of the ronny experience to understand what it was like 'back then'. I've had my share of suffering experience (cold, wet, cold and wet feet, sleeping on lumpy ground, etc.) but a painful old back is more than I choose to accept anymore.

 

[Preacher Jeremy]

Those are some purty chairs, got a few very similar around my dinning room table, not very comfy without a seat pad though. Pretty sure the misses would shoot me if I brought them to vous anyways.

 

[mmahlock]

This web site has a variety of folding campaign chairs you might want to consider. The time frame is key as is the design. Most you can build yourself if you have a rudimentary shop.

Antique campaign furniture

 

[Poor Private]

Boy oh boy, ladder back, and windsor chairs. Sheeeesh. What you guys doing outfitting a house? I don't see many Mt. man photos, or drawings of those in camp, or even in a civil war camp. How did you guys hump those out there in the mountains, or take with you on a campaign? I can see if your a pioneer and carrying them in your covered wagon- but I don't see many of those at events either. Whats wrong with a wood stump or log upended, or sitting on the ground. The worst I get is a period folding chair. I still can't figure out how I carry that thing with me tho.

 

[Poor Private]

"An Encampment in St. James Park ”“ Sandby 1780"
These are ladder back chairs with cane seats. I'm no sercher but I found this one quick.

Yep and look in the background it's in a friggin city! :stir: And look who it is, it's not everyman. It's the uppercrust.

 

[Trench]

Yes, these chairs would imply wagons and are persona-specific.

 

[pargent]

It's a military encampment, that's the officer's area .

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I made a couple simple three legged stools from pieces of slab wood and stout branches. It requires a large drill bit,( inch at least) for the holes and a draw knife to shave the legs down, but they are period correct and can be knocked down flat by pulling the legs out. I made one at the Eastern at Swatara State Park about 1988 and it is now my granddaughters' "time out" seat.

 

[mmahlock]

First off I have to agree with your assessment to a point. To be historically accurate with regards to camp equipment and possessions, any one portraying a hunter of any type in the 18th or 19th Centuries should limit what they have to what can be packed on the back of no more than two horses one would be better. Presentations of military related persona should be bound by the typical possessions of an individuals rank. This is where life gets interesting if you move into the officer ranks. Get a copy of Nicholas A. Brawer's book British Campaign Furniture Elegance under Canvas, 1740-1914 if you're interested in the range and types of furniture taken by British Army Officers when they went to war. All of which was transported on the backs of mules and in wagons.

The Autobiography of Gurdon S. Hubbard
provides a number of descriptions of items taken by a young clerk of the American Fur Company into the interior and his descriptions include few luxuries other then his Cassette.

If you look at journal from the 1828 journey by George Simpson, a director of the HBC, from York Factory to For Langley the baggage taken and descriptions of daily life show a variety of baggage taken and equipment used including:

Cassettes
Cases
Baskets
Tents
Beds

Simpson was traveling light since his intention was to visit the houses and posts along the way.

The 1821 Diary of Nicholas Garry also a director of the HBC who traveled through out Canada to oversee the unification of the NWCo and the HBC mentions using boxes and cassettes as tables and chairs. It should also be noted that he returned to England after completing his mission with five boxes of stuff including numerous stuffed animals and birds, a variety of implements and equipment used by the local natives, and three canoes two of which were made by Eskimos one of which was for whaling and included all of the equipment necessary to use it for whaling.

 

[Many Klatch]

I try to keep my camp as PC as possible but ever since I had my knees replaced I need a taller chair to sit in. I bought a couple of folding "Directors" chairs at a garage sale for $10 each. I bought some brocade fabric at Joannes for another couple of bucks. I removed the canvas fabric and replaced it with the brocade fabric. Date wise that style of folding chair is from no earlier than about 1810. I don't know if it is PC or not but now the chairs don't look like something you could buy at Walmart. I plan to paint the wood of the chairs to complete the transformation. The nice thing about the folding chairs is that they do indeed fold up and that makes them easier to load.

Many Klatch

 

[pargent]

For anyone that may be interested go to Mess Kits ,to Luke's post chech out all the other books about camp life , fashons , camp furniture etc . :applause: to Luke for posting this , it is about BRITISH MILITARY life in camp, yes the camps are in parks near London ,thats where they camped during transit, and that's where the artists were .WARNING this site contains no mountain man stuff or Americana , it does show all aspects of life in camp etc . not just the upper class .Like litteraly thousands of pages of real history stuff , but no photos just paintings ,watercolours etc.

 

[pargent]

Some persona's have a Navy and baggage train to cart all the gear, and 200 levies.

 

[greggholmes]

due to certain facts of living in the 21 century most of us cant handle 17-18th century living for to long. some of us are getting older then the oldest trappers and hunters lived to be, so some accommodations must be made so we can go back to work when we get home and not need to stop off at the ER.
So, that captain in st. Louis shouldn't have gotten into that poker game and lost some of his gear to me.....


Link
Colonial X Frame Dining Chair

Made of teak with a caned seat, this Anglo-Indian X frame chair is directly influenced in its design by the English version shown below. There are differences of course and the two chairs offer us a rare opportunity to study them. To pack down for travel the seat of this chair is lifted off its brass locating pin to the front rail. The seat is hinged to fold against the chair back and in that position the X frame legs will also fold to allow the whole to flat pack. The only decoration to the chair is the parallel line moulding cut to the back on both the uprights, top and cross rails. This moulding continues round the scroll to the tops of the uprights. The antique period is circa 1825.

Naval Armchair

A mahogany Naval campaign chair, hinged to the middle of the side rails to concertina flat pack once the caned seat is lifted. A classic piece of Georgian campaign furniture that packs quickly to a small size and so perfect for life on board a warship when preparation for action had to be swift. The folding arms have locking catches that release the two sections at their right angle joint. Late 18th century.

a couple of these would easily fit onto a pack horse......