My High Chair

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Tuesday, January 14. 2014

This was my high chair when I was a kid, used for all of my younger sibs too. My parents had gotten it from their grandparents and kept on using it, and I have no idea how old it is. It has survived many generations of use.

Maybe somebody like Sipp can date it.

It's one of the many items I retrieved from my parents' house. One cool thing about it is that you can climb up it to get into it.

Could this be manufactured today as child furniture? I doubt it. Too dangerous, vulnerable to lawsuits, etc. However, this fine thing will have a long future unless the Feds arrive to charge me with child endangerment.

If a dopey kid falls out of this chair and cracks its head open, it's just Darwinian, isn't it?

Nobody will save your stainless steel and plastic high chairs for posterity, but I think this one has a long future somewhere in the Bird Dog family.

Posted by Bird Dog in Our Essays, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 17:00 | Comments (10) | Trackbacks (0)

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You can see the safety requirements for high chairs here:

http://www.astm.org/Standards/F404.htm

Looks like it might be quite lengthy reading. However, it will cost you $48 if you want to read it.

#1 Jim on 2014-01-14 17:36 (Reply)

To make it completely "safe" all you have to do is saw about a foot off of each of those legs (not that I'm recommending that for this sturdy heirloom). Virtually every safety issue with high chairs has to do with the fact that they are elevated to reach an adult-height table. It is mostly for the convenience of the parents, anyways. Get the kid a small chair and a small table to go with it. He can use it to draw/paint on, too. For special occasions, a phone book on a regular chair with arms will do.

#2 Random Commenter on 2014-01-14 20:17 (Reply)

The point is to get a kid at the table with the adults.

#2.1 Bird Dog on 2014-01-15 08:34 (Reply)

First, you need grandkids

#3 Ed on 2014-01-15 09:55 (Reply)

1840-1860

#4 MissyW on 2014-01-15 10:08 (Reply)

though I've seen the exact same style from the 1970s. But that might have been "retro chique" or whatever the term is.

#4.1 J.T. Wenting on 2014-01-15 11:23 (Reply)

Could be somewhat later; simple country chairmakers kept the style of their youth alive for a loooong time. I'd certainly not put it any later than 1890s, though, and more likely closer to your estimate.

#4.2 handworn (Link) on 2014-01-16 09:19 (Reply)

Specifically it is a slat back chair of the sort made in New England in the 19th century. It has a correct rush seat and turnings, and the wear is appropriate.

#5 MissyW on 2014-01-15 16:36 (Reply)

First half 19th century. Good chair.

#6 David Zincavage (Link) on 2014-01-15 19:40 (Reply)

This is just one more lovely way that we used to teach children--from babies on--to analyze risk, develop muscle and co-ordination and finally make decisions and live with the consequences.

We don't include that education in our early childhood development process anymore! Now, we just spoon feed them until they get tenure somewhere, or until they've won a lawsuit against some poor lame male!

As for me--I went from climbing out of my potty seat (concussion on the tub next to it) to falling off this high chair, to climbing trees, to climbing mountains!

#7 anotherone on 2014-01-15 23:30 (Reply)

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Tuesday, January 14. 2014

My High Chair