The Sikes/Sykes Families Association

Chair Photos - Page 5

We enjoy hearing from you and sharing with you the interesting pieces that were built by The Sikes Chair Company.

For those of you who do not use digital cameras and find sending images via e-mail a trial,
you are invited to send regular photo prints to the Webmaster, 506 Bosque Vista, San Antonio, TX 78258
where they will be scanned and placed on the site.

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James Peters contacted us recently to share his story and pictures of his Sikes Chair. "I recently found an old wooden office chair sitting by a dumpster at an apartment building in New Brighton, Minnesota, where my daughter lives. I have a liking for well-made older furniture so I brought it home. I then noticed the little brass 'Sikes' monogram on the back of the chair. I looked up Sikes on the Internet and found your website. To say the least I was most impressed to see that you were still interested in your ancestors furniture. I did not see a chair that looks like mine. There was a paper thumb tacked under the chair from the Sikes company telling how to adjust the chair. Someone had done a fine job of putting new casters under the chair. The ends of the arms are badly worn but the rest of the chair is in mint con- dition, except for a couple of rub marks on the wood in the back. It is one of the most comfortable chairs I have.	Eleanor Cook wrote: "I recently purchased this pictured chair at a local flea market. Enjoyed your information [on the Internet]. I didn't see this chair in your many photos and was wondering if you have any idea what year this may have been made from a company catalog or such. This is definitely a work of art.	Carl Johann wrote about his Sikes dining table and chairs. "I am inquiring as to the age and history of a table and chair set manufactured by the Sikes Chair Company, (Buffalo Branch 2472) Buffalo, NY. The table is 48" round with a hand crank that expands the table to allow for a leaf extension. Thank you for posting a website that makes this communication possible.
Faye M. Fairchild of Rocklin, CA wrote, "I bought this chair at a garage sale in Rocklin. All I know is that the family had it for a long time. I found the chair both beautiful and interesting. By the orientation of the legs it appears to be a corner chair. The chair is assembled with dowels, has a beautiful back, and high arm rests. The "Sikes of Philadelphia" emblem is located underneath. If anyone knows more information, I'd love to hear it."	Geri Greb sent this. "We have six Sikes chairs. The label on the bottom says they were made in Philadelphia. They came from my husband's grandparents home along with an oak round table. I was told the table did not come originally with the chairs. They were always used on the weekends when the sons and daughters came over for Sunday lunch. His grandmother was a good cook so there were many dinners served around that old oak table and chairs. Many years ago, we stripped off about five layers of paint, re stained and varnished four of the chairs. Recently we redid the remaining two and had all the seats re- upholstered."	This is the Sikes office chair that is currently being used by Association member Art Sikes at his genealogy desk.
Mandi Sikes of Suffield, CT recently purchased this set of Sikes chairs. The photo was taken before she restored them.	Brian Morris sent us this wonderful story. "I live in Pensacola, Florida and as you know we are still recovering from Hurricane Ivan that directly hit us in September of last year (2004). My wife was driving around a few days after the storm passed and found an office chair sitting in a junk pile on the side of the road. She threw it in the truck and brought it home to see what I could do with it. The chair was intact but severely water damaged. Most of the original finish was gone and the wood was water stained. I told her I'd see what I could do. As I started to disassemble it I couldn't help but notice the fine craftsmanship of the chair. It was then that I noticed the copper / brass pin on the back of the chair with the word SIKES of Buffalo, NY on it. I just got through refinishing the chair and it looks absolutely awesome. I was able to use and keep al the original hardware and re-assembled it just like I found it. I have it proudly sitting in front of my computer desk in my den. A very comfortable chair indeed. I just love it as does my wife. A new "SIKES" chair lover."	Trudie Seuss Stapleton shares the story of her Sikes Furniture. "Thirty years ago I inherited my Grandmother's Sikes formal dining table with six Sikes chairs. The arm chair label reads #2477 Buffalo Branch, Buffalo, NY and the five side chairs read #2476 Buffalo Branch, Buffalo, NY. My Grandmother Alice Marie Anderson Seuss, purchased the six chairs with the table in San Diego, California around 1945 - 1946.
Eva in Illinois wrote, "I just wanted to tell you about my Sikes chair. My dad received it about 25 years ago - as he recalls, a friend from Wisconsin passed it along to him. He used it as a desk chair over the years, and while I was still living at home, I stealthyly slipped it into my room at some point and began using it as my desk chair. I thought I was being pretty clever at the time; now I know that my dad is just a nice guy who patiently let me kidnap his chair! When I moved into my apartment just over four years ago, I spirited the chair away with me. Fortunately, Dad finds it funny that I just slowly "adopted" the chair instead of being annoyed that I took it! There is a round logo on the back, about the size of a coin, that reads, "Sikes Co. Inc. Buffalo, NY." I had always admired the chair's sturdy build, and it had been in need of repair for some time - one of the slats that connects the legs had come loose. The finish had been worn down to a horrible condition over the years, so I took it to a refinisher to have it restored. I just love this chair. I feel very lucky to have it -and I have thanked my dad for it more than once, since finding out what a special piece it is!"	Bill and Jeanette Shananhan wrote to us about these two "grotesque" chairs found at a garage sale in Orange County, NY a couple years ago. "I have restored them and the original leather pads are still intact.. I just covered them with new material for preservation. They are such a delight and one of my best finds ever... I hope you enjoy seeing them as much as I enjoy looking at them everyday. I wish I can find more. I'm interested in learning is the mythology based on the designs and a list of all the different 'faces' that may have been used. I call the first one 'Old Man Winter' and the second one a 'The Ram'." If someone seeing these pictures has that information, please email billjen@hotmail.com.	Wayne Dudley of Boston, MA wrote, "I recently found a Sikes chair in a dumpster. Apart from the frayed leather seating area, it is in excellent condition. This is obviously the work of quality to last this long in this condition. I wish to know the location/date the chair was made and would be interested in seeking someone who would like to complete a set of their chairs. Ashuuter@aol.com

Ang wrote in May 2005, "My father was given a set of four chairs in the Late 40's to repair. Grandma found (sic) in her attic last week. Two of the 4 chairs have the Sikes Chair Company tag with Pattern # 1372 1/2 on the bottom. They also have "Franck" branded in the wood by the labels. the glue has long since given away but the chairs are still in good condition.
Any history you can shed would be appreciated. My dad is a history buff so I now he would love to know more on them.

     Ruth Saucier wrote, "Right now I have the biggest, happiest grin on my face. As I was trying to find out more info on the Sikes Chair Company from Buffalo, N.Y., I found your web site.
     I got goose pimples as I was looking at all the similar chairs, to my own, on your web page. The one picture was of two very odd designed chairs - one is a 'old man winter' looking chair and the other is a 'Rams head', which is what I inherited from my dad. Except the chair I own is an arm chair and the one on your web page is a regular chair. Am I correct in assuming then that my chair was possibly part of a dining room set with a table and regular chairs?
     My dad acquired this chair from his neighbor, a Mr. Blackie Lee, who was going to get rid of it. Mr. Lee knew my dad was a carpenter/cabinet maker and asked if he would like it. So it has been in my family - in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at the time - since the late 40's or early 50's. And I've proudly owned (sic) for the past 6 years.
     As a little girl I would climb up on the chair behind my dad as he sat in this chair and give him a 'head rub' which resulted in my .25 cent weekly allowance. To this day you can still see the rub/wear mark on the back of the chair where my dad used to lay his head back and have a snooze when he would come home for lunch every day.
     This chair has great sentimental value more than a monetary value, but I am going to have it appraised for insurance purposes.
     Thank you so much for making my day with the pictures on your web site.

Wendy Todori of Rochester, NY wrote, "We have a huge 7 drawer antique desk with a fancy "Sikes Cutler" label in the center top desk drawer. It's made of a very beautiful wood, however, it has been in the damp basement for a short time and has sustained some minor damage. I'm trying to save it from going to the dump. If I can tell my daughter it has some history, she may let me keep it. It also has a date stamped under the same top drawer, looks like a desk date stamper "Nov 19, 1931". Would you happen to know if this Sikes Cutler desk is of the same company? Or if you have any info you could refer me to so I can save this desk, I would greatly appreciate it."

Art Sikes replied, "Yes, it is the same company. They combined with another company and dropped the Sikes Chair Company name near the end."

Dale wrote, "I looked over your web site and found a chair virtually identical to the one I have, posted by Eileen Carson. Very heavy construction, swivel, with springy back. Originally, mine was painted a dull olive green color - a military look. When our office in Mountain View, California, was down sizing, it was my prize. I had the paint stripped and finished it with a natural stain and with Verathane. It served me well for another 10 years, before being relegated to the attic. I'm now disposing of it since it is not comfortable for my wife."

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