20th Century
Decorative Arts

Edward Gardiner, a wonderful tall ladder back Clissett armchair in ash with original rush seat, England, c 1940s.
This simple but beautiful ladder back armchair was inspirational to the Arts & Crafts movement, it was used by many architects, artists and designers of the time and became the chair of choice for the Garden City home. The renowned furniture maker and architect Ernest Gimson felt the chair embodied the spirit of the Arts & Crafts Movement, he spent time at Phillip Clissetts workshop and designed his own version of the chair.
Edward Gardiner (who was Gimsons turned chair maker from 1904 -1914) made chairs in his own workshop after Gimson’s death in 1919 including this classic Clissett chair and also the Gimson version.