I like Morris chairs Lord knows Ive built enough of them to change my middle name to Morrie. But this evening I finished up work on a chair that is lighter in weight (less than 5 kg. ), just as masculine (leather!) and is (gasp) even more comfortable.
Its called a Roorkhee Chair, and it was one of the staples of the British army between the Boer War and World War II. It weighs almost nothing, packs down into a small canvas bag and its lines influenced generations of modern chair designers.
There are many versions of the Roorkhee Chair out there, I selected this one to recreate for an upcoming issue of Magazine because it requires few tools, scant wood and the leather work can be done by a complete newbie. (I should know because I did all the leather on the chair and needed to buy only two cheap tools to do it.)
Heck, you dont even have to own a lathe to build this chair. With just a little creativity and a strong will you can make the legs with a spokeshave and a couple rasps.
The chair is easy to build, no matter what you do. The back tilts to accept your shoulder blades. The back of the chair supports and presses your back as you lean back. The chair adjusts to the terrain and the person sitting it, so no matter where it is placed, it will remain in a comfortable and stable position.
It took me less that a week to make it.
If you haven’t renewed your subscription, it might be time. Your back will thank you and there are several upcoming articles from me on Campaign-style furniture.
– Christopher Schwarz
P.S. The chair also will make cats desire to make out with you.
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