S/3645 Antique 19th Century Ash Chair Maker's Brace

A well made ash chair maker's brace fitted with a steel spoon shaped auger. The brace would have been used with a breast bib attached to the user to put downwards pressure whilst in use. The breast bib was a piece of hardwood shaped to the chest and secured by a light leather harness. It has a recess on the front surface in which the head of the brace is held. Its purpose was to distribute the pressure exerted by the head of the brace over this area of the chest and by locating the head of the brace it helped to steer it accurately at the right angle. Sometimes breast bibs are found with a groove across the recess on the front. This is where the chair maker used his chest, protected by the bib, as a cramp to force parts of a chair together. The handle has a lovely rich colour, grain and patination.

16¾ in. (42.5 cm.) Wide
5 in. (12.5 cm.) Deep
French Circa 1820