Highchair
Category
Childcare objects
Date
circa 1938
Materials
Painted wood and leather
Measurements
930 mm (height) x 530 mm (width at base) x 520 mm (depth at base)
Collection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 671934
Summary
A child's high chair which can be converted into a low chair and table. It is made from magnolia painted wood and the legs (in their 'normal' position) have metal tips. The seat is upholstered in a similarly-coloured leather, held in place with (rusty) domed-ended nails, and has a leather safety strap. It has a detachable tray which is quite worn/well-used and a footrest which can be removed (by pulling out a metal pin). The two 'separating' parts are held together by hinges at the front edge and by a sprung piece at the back which hooks under the top part. Each part has a set of wheels with rubber tyres - presumably the footrest could be removed for the child to move around the floor in the chair/table.
Provenance
Donated to the Museum of Childhood in 2016 by Ian and Clare Crossman. Originally painted primrose yellow, it was bought by the donor's mother in 1938 and used for her children. She had it re-upholstered and repainted magnolia before giving it to the donor in 1968, who used it for her six children. Later each of the donor's ten grandchildren used it when visiting.