The
joinery of the Orkney chairs made today is completed by skilled craftsmen
using fine quality wood. The Orkney chair has come a long way from the
days where whoever was ‘well-handed’ would made the chair,
and from whatever wood could be gleaned from the shore.
Scapa Crafts joiners George Drever and Ian Kirkness take a pride in their work.
As
Ian comments:
'A chair with a drawer and rush seat involves fitting over 30 different
pieces of wood together and making over 30 hand crafted joints. For strength
and a good finish the drawers for the oak chairs are dovetailed.'
Iain also finishes the bases he makes
‘The base for a chair with a drawer will take me about a week,
then to get the good smooth finish Scapa Crafts is proud of will take
me another good half day, sometimes longer.’
In recognition of the chairs origins Scapa Crafts also are unique in producing a chair which is still made of driftwood. George comments:
‘You
have to be careful with the driftwood. It needs to be sawn up, properly
dried, then you choose only the best pieces for the chair – we don’t
use any wood which has been damaged by the sea, seaworms or sea beetles.
You also don’t want any big knots as they would weaken the strength
of the chair.’
The driftwood is found either as logs or planks and is nearly always a type of pine, from Norway or North America or even further afield.
‘It
could be years in the sea. When you cut saw it open you can smell the
sea, quite salty.’
And do they have a preference of the type of wood they work with?
George ‘I’ve worked for so long with the hard woods: oak
and walnut. The driftwood is a softer wood and makes a nice change.’
And how can you tell a craftsman made chair?
‘Well, you’d be looking for good joints, a good finish.
The joints are fitted by hand and I sand all the wood except the legs
before fitting it’
How
is the back made?
The first row is nailed on and from the on subsequent rows are stitched.
Great care is needed as the straw is turned at the corners – nowhere
is this trickier than with the tiny child’s chair.
The finished product
Dimensions of Orkney Chairs
We make chairs in 4 sizes. All 4 sizes are available in all types of wood: oak, driftwood, walnut.
Which Chair is for me?
Please try this simple measurement to choose the chair which will be the
most comfortable for you.
Adults – both ladies and gentlemen:
• Fold your arms so that both hands lie over your bellybutton.
• Measure the width from your left elbow across your back to your
right elbow.
• If this is 48cm / 19 inches or less we recommend choosing the
full size traditional Orkney Chair
• If this is more than 48cm / 19 inches we recommend choosing the
full size comfort fit Orkney Chair
Youngsters - the middle sized chair, also known as the ladies chair will accommodate youngsters with elbow, back, elbow measurement of up to 47cm / 18.5 inches or less
Children - a child’s chair will seat children both boys and girls with elbow, back, elbow measurement of up to 38cm / 15 inches or less
Dimensions are as follows, though please bear in mind that as each chair is handmade and unique, dimensions are approximate.
Full Size
Traditional Orkney Chair - has traditionally been known as a
Gentleman's Chair but is the correct size of chair for both gentlemen
and ladies.
• Height – 104cm / 41.5 inches
• Seat height – 43cm / 17 inches
• Seat width – 53cm / 21 inches
• Shoulder width - 61cm / 24 inches
Full Size Comfort Fit Orkney Chair - has been specially
developed by work with interior designers in the USA and our customers
have also been extremely appreciative of this new innovation in our design
range. Again this chair is designed for both ladies and gentlemen.
However please note due to extra time and materials involved the Comfort
Chair is slightly more expensive. Please add £40 supplement on prices
• Height – 109cm / 43 inches
• Seat height – 43cm / 17 inches
• Seat width – 53cm / 21 inches
• Shoulder width - 66cm / 26 inches
Hooded
Full Size Orkney Chair
As above, choose either the traditional or comfort fit with height to
top of hood approx 152cm / 60 inches.
The Three Quarter Sized Chair - this became known as
a Ladies Chair but actually is not just for ladies, being more an 'in
between' chair, or middle sized chair, between the full size and littlest
chair.
• Height – 99cm / 39 inches
• Seat height – 43cm / 17 inches
• Seat width – 49cm / 19.5 inches
• Shoulder width – 56cm / 22 inches
Hooded Three Quarter Sized Chair
As above with height to top of hood – approx 142cm / 56 inches
The
Peedie Chair – known as a Child’s chair.
• Height – 99cm / 39 inches
• Seat height – 29cm / 11.5 inches
• Seat width – 38cm / 15 inches
• Shoulder width – 49cm / 19.5 inches
Orkney Traditional Stool – perfect stool or even
as a footstool to your Orkney Chair.
• Seat height – 36cm / 14 inches
• Seat width & depth – 36cm / 14 inches square