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Dave Macfee writes:

Here's an upcoming challenge for us. Anyone ever see
or work on a dentist chair like this?

I'm trying to dig up as much background as I can find.
So far I'm not finding any dentist chair remotely like this
one. I am going to check the p4a.com database but I
thought I'd also throw a line out to Groop.  Even if it's
not that valuable, it's a pretty cool piece I thought ya'll
might find interesting.

Doesn't this just make your teeth hurt when you ponder
what it must have been like having dental work done in
the late 19th century?  Eeeyow!

Things of interest on this chair:

I can't find any written identification on the piece other
than the decorative ironwork for the footrest which says
"Eureka". There is an interesting mechanism for
adjusting the chair to recline but I haven't tried to
operate it since I have yet to complete my inspection.
The spitoon is an interesting item. I'm not so sure this is
original equipment . Some of the metal parts look like
they are made by a local blacksmith. It would be really
nice to find a similar chair for comparison.

The leather upholstery is clearly very old, but I haven't
tried removing any yet to see what might be under it.
The thin ply seat may be original. At first I didn't think
so, but when I removed it I find no other evidence of a
different material ever being fastened to the main seat
frame. It is clean of any tack holes except the ones that
attach the ply seat. I'm sure the metal rods were added
at some point to keep the chair from falling apart.  Not
sure if I will leave these or not- I'm probably going to
reglue the whole structure so I could lose them but I
could also see leaving them and chalking it up as part of
the history. On an old pioneer days piece like this they
sort of seem appropriate. The rods may also be the
only reason the chair survived at all.

Dave Macfee, KS




















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