This beautiful pair of elm wood seated, Windsor chairs date from the 1850s. They've spent their lives together by the fireside of the same house, and it shows. Decades of careful use have resulted in the most fantastic surface colouring / patination I've encountered. Both of the chairs display beautiful graining to the seat, graduating through the most wonderous red / brown colour to a dark brown craquelure that has built up over years. 

The faces of the spindles have all worn to a perfect, natural highlight and the ends of the arms have worn to a soft point from a lifetime of gentle handling/rubbing. 

As the result of spending their lifetime together in the one household the chairs have remained in a wonderful, natural condition with the most fantastic of wear, but no damage. They're a fantastically comfortable seat and highly decorative - form and function.