Overview
A classic French-inspired lounge chair and matching ottoman featuring a hand-woven rush seat and a sturdy wooden frame with elegant turned details.
Preliminary identification
Photo reference
1 uploaded photo
Overview
A classic French-inspired lounge chair and matching ottoman featuring a hand-woven rush seat and a sturdy wooden frame with elegant turned details.
Story
The design of this chair traces its lineage back to the provincial homes of 18th-century France, where local artisans used readily available materials like marsh rush and native hardwoods to create furniture that was both durable and stylish.
Maker / Origin
Ballard Designs was founded in 1983 by Helen Ballard Weeks in Atlanta, starting as a simple two-page black-and-white brochure.
Condition & Value
The wood and rush appear to be in excellent condition with no visible fraying, sagging, or structural damage. The cushions look clean and well-maintained with the stripes properly aligned. Excellent condition for a used set like this helps maintain the higher end of the valuation.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Build on this identification
Layer in sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance.
Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Regional auction
· Jun 2024Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
$1,280
Dealer archive
· Mar 2024Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
$1,450
Marketplace sale
· Jan 2024Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
$980
Estate platform
· Oct 2023Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
$1,150
Auction result
· Aug 2023Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.
$1,375