Q:My husband and I would like to know the age and value of a chair that we recently inherited. It is all original, but the upholstery is faded. It has a label with a name in script and the words "Morris Chair, Patented." -- N.N.

Answer: It is a Morris chair made during the first quarter of the 20th century. These adjustable chairs were named after William Morris, an English artist often considered to be the father of the Arts & Crafts movement.

The decal on the back rail reads "Streit." C.F. Streit was a furniture manufacturer in Cincinnati that specialized in adjustable chairs, including Morris chairs and its patented Slumber Chairs. The firm is no longer in business.

The chair is made of oak. I cannot tell you if the upholstery is original, although I doubt that it is. I suggest that you have it replaced. Leather would look great, but it is not inexpensive. The chair would retail for about $150 as is.

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Q:I purchased my table at a yard sale a couple of years ago and cannot identify it or find any information about the maker. I would like to know what kind of table it is, the type of wood, age and value. It has a metal tag that reads "Gordon's, Makers of Fine Furniture, Johnson City, Tennessee." -- P.B

 

Answer: It is a reproduction of an 18th century Queen Anne-style tea table, complete with candle slides (the little pullout shelves). It appears to be made of mahogany and probably was manufactured in the late 1950s or early'60s.

Charles Gordon moved to Johnson City from Virginia in the mid-1930s and established several businesses, including Gordon's Inc. in 1947. His reproduction furniture mostly was retailed by department stores, such as Macy's. Gordon's closed its doors in 1998. Gordon died in 2004.

This nice reproduction table really is used furniture and has no antique value, but I see similar ones sell for around $125 or more at estate sales.
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