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How to Appraise a Windsor High Back Chair

Appraising a Windsor high back chair is a matter of comparing this particular chair to similar chairs made at the same time, assessing the chair's condition and determining what the price would be should the chair come up for sale at auction. Search for any documentation about the chair, if possible, including purchase of sale, original owner information and when you obtained it. Original Windsor chairs from 18th-century England and America will be appraised at the highest values.

Instructions

- 1
  Determine the type of wood the chair is made out of. Common materials for Windsor chairs include pine, cherry and walnut. Often, Windsor chairs were painted to hide the fact that they were made of inexpensive materials, so it may be difficult to determine what its wood type is.
- 2
  Determine its age. Original Windsor high back chairs from the 18th century will be appraised at a higher value than copies, remakes or reproductions. If the chair is waxed or has a clear finish, it is probably not from the 18th century. Send a photo of the chair to an antiques appraisal service, or take the photo to an antiques dealer.
- 3
  Search for any distinguishing marks or a signature. Genuine Windsor chairs from the 18th century were largely made in New England, largely Massachusetts.
- 4
  Note any other physical description, including the chair's dimensions and weight. Does the chair have arrow-shaped slats or spindles? Is the high back a comb back? These factors help determine the chair's appraisal value.
- 5
  Note the chair's condition and rarity. The better the condition, the better the value. Some types of Windsor high back chairs, such as the writing desk version, fetch a higher price because they are more rare.

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