The continuous-arm chair remains the only wholly American innovation in Windsor chairmaking.

Sometime between 1785 and 1795, Thomas and William Ash, sons of a prominent New York city furniture maker, began making continuous arm chairs in response to very popular French styles of that period. Utilizing the Windsor method of construction, a compound bending of the bow provided for the arms as well as the back, reflecting the sweeping curve of new French designs.

Spurned by the established Philadelphia chairmakers as a passing fad, the Continuous-arm Windsor, with its distinct New York style of leg, fast became so widespread that, to this day, the chair legs most often seen are of New York origin. Philadelphia never did recover the market with its cylinder and blunt arrow style of leg, which remains an attractive and distinct regional identification.

Pictured on the left is the Dovetail and Braceback Continuous Armchair. (9 spindles with bulbs). Variations are available and priced accordingly.

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