Museum Location: Orkney Museum
Date: 1901
Accession Number: 2021.059
Summary: Orkney chair made in 1901 by David Munro Kirkness with wood from the roof of St. Magnus Cathedral.
Kirkness was responsible for commercialising the Orkney chair after exhibiting it at the Scottish Home Industries exhibition in Edinburgh in 1890. The chairs’ handcraftsmanship and vernacular design had a natural affinity with the Arts and Crafts movement, and soon became a very fashionable item of furniture, gracing wealthy households all over the world. It is reported that David Kirkness’ workshop made 14,000 chairs in his lifetime.
The label above is attached to the underside of the chair and reads “Made from oak couples used in the extension of St. Magnus Cathedral by Bishop Reid between the years 1540 and 1558. Made by DM Kirkness, 14 Palace Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, 6th May 1901.”
Read more about it here:https://www.orkneymuseums.co.uk/rare-orkney-chair/
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