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Lot Essay
The Windsor chair making tradition in the City of Oxford was probably founded by William Wardell who came from West Wycombe and who, by 1830, was the sole maker of Windsor, Garden and Cane Furniture in Oxford, working at 101, Summertown. Two further chairmakers were to emerge: Thomas Slater and Stephen Hazell, both born in Summertown; Stephen Hazell (Snr) was to become a most significant Oxford chairmaker and unlike Wardell and Slater, he chose to stamp his name on his chairs, thus leaving behind him a firm record of those chairs which he and later his son, Stephen Charles Hazell, made.
Stephen Hazell Snr first advertised himself as a chairmaker in 1846 when he was 27 years old. At this time he described himself as a Turner and Windsor Chairmaker working in South Parade, Summertown. Hazell's son, Stephen Charles Hazell,(born 1846) worked with his father until 1875 when Stephen Hazell Snr was last advertised as a chair maker working from 10, Albert Street, Oxford.
By 1877, Stephen Charles Hazell was working on his own account. He continued as a chairmaker until 1892 employing one man and a boy, when he appears to have retired at the relatively early age of 45.
A most prestigious commission for Hazell Senior was a group of chairs for the Bodleian Library Reading Rooms with roundel-centred diagonal cross-splats in the manner of Thomas Hope. Hazell's most readily identifiable chair design though is the scroll back Windsor chair type. This general style was made extensively in High Wycombe and elsewhere, but nowhere was it made with greater finesse, however, than in the workshops of the Hazells' in the City of Oxford.
Both of the Hazells produced the same signature in the barrel turning situated on either side of the flattened centre back cross rail and this provides a distinctive identification feature of their work. In addition to the stamp S. Hazell Oxford a general precision of construction and a lightness of structure epitomises the Oxford Windsor chairs.
Dr B Cotton
Stephen Hazell Snr first advertised himself as a chairmaker in 1846 when he was 27 years old. At this time he described himself as a Turner and Windsor Chairmaker working in South Parade, Summertown. Hazell's son, Stephen Charles Hazell,(born 1846) worked with his father until 1875 when Stephen Hazell Snr was last advertised as a chair maker working from 10, Albert Street, Oxford.
By 1877, Stephen Charles Hazell was working on his own account. He continued as a chairmaker until 1892 employing one man and a boy, when he appears to have retired at the relatively early age of 45.
A most prestigious commission for Hazell Senior was a group of chairs for the Bodleian Library Reading Rooms with roundel-centred diagonal cross-splats in the manner of Thomas Hope. Hazell's most readily identifiable chair design though is the scroll back Windsor chair type. This general style was made extensively in High Wycombe and elsewhere, but nowhere was it made with greater finesse, however, than in the workshops of the Hazells' in the City of Oxford.
Both of the Hazells produced the same signature in the barrel turning situated on either side of the flattened centre back cross rail and this provides a distinctive identification feature of their work. In addition to the stamp S. Hazell Oxford a general precision of construction and a lightness of structure epitomises the Oxford Windsor chairs.
Dr B Cotton