This chair is a tribute to Thomas Molesworth, the pioneer of western design. Sometimes, Molesworth would do a partial trade for the furniture he built. In one case, he even traded furniture for Silver, his beloved palomino. Silver’s silhouette became the subject for what would become one of the most iconic carvings on Molesworth’s furniture.
The Silver’s Club Chair is made of native Wyoming juniper embellished with juniper branch poles. Each branch is split in half with one half going on the left side and the other going on the right side of the chair. Each pole is numbered and marked as to position. When this is done, each branch is sanded to fit tightly against the next pole. The end result is a chair with two identical sides. This was also done with the large V-shaped piece under the arm. This chair features a hidden front drawer that blends in seamlessly. The fringe is two different pieces of leather glued together then soaked and twisted. There is also a leather feed bag in which to put magazines.
This chair is a joint collaboration between Norseman Designs West and Anne Beard. Touched by Molesworth’s understandable pride in Silver, Anne reinterpreted this icon, designing and creating the appliquéd panels in timeless wool gabardine.
Chair: 36″ high x 37″ wide X 38″ deep