MonoMonday: Textures........

.........This is a part image of the Rush Seat on one of my 4 Ladder Back Chairs which I bought over 50 years ago - and they were at least 70 years old then! The seats have never been either replaced or repaired during all that time - which is a great recommendation in itself.

Rush seating is a very old craft - examples have been found in the tombs of Egypt, and in England the craft has been practised since the 14th Century. It became very popular on country made furniture during the 17th and 18th centuries then enjoyed a revival at the end of the 19th century when the top "Arts and Crafts" designers admired its purity and simplicity. Unfortunately the revival was short lived and the popularity of rush as a seating material declined during the first half of this century, partly due to the lack of skilled labour. Many of the rush workers and harvesters were men who never returned from the two great wars, the craft suffered as a result. With the recent interest in both old crafts and vintage furniture, rush seating is once again enjoying a revival.

Weather not brilliant this afternoon - though it was sunny this morning - Temperature is 61 Deg.F.

Today marks 100th anniversary of the birth of Dylan Thomas .

Hope you are having a good day.