Otago Settlers Association immediate past president Dr
Dorothy Page (foreground) and vice-president Hilary Allison
admire three 19th century chairs which are being added to
the Otago Settlers Museum's early furniture collection.
Photo by Peter McIntosh.
Three wooden armchairs, elegantly crafted in the 19th
century, have found their way back to their Dunedin home, after
last September's major earthquake near Christchurch.
The two rimu chairs and a kauri chair had been owned by
award-winning furniture specialist William Cottrell, author
of Furniture of the New Zealand Colonial Era.
The chairs were sold after his family home, the Gunyah
Country Estate at Darfield, about 45km west of Christchurch,
was badly damaged in the quake.
Recognising the Dunedin origin of the chairs, Mr Cottrell
offered first refusal to the Otago Settlers Museum before
they were sent to auction.
The Otago Settlers Association then bought them for about
$3000, association officials said.
Mr Cottrell was "thrilled" the chairs had returned to
Dunedin, which was the "right space" for them.
The settlers museum already had a strong early furniture
collection, and there was a high likelihood the chairs would
have been "lost" if they had they been sold elsewhere, he
said.
Museum collections team leader Claire Nodder said it was
"wonderful" the Otago association could add to the strength
of the museum's chair collection.
Association vice-president Hilary Allison and immediate past
president Dr Dorothy Page were also delighted at the outcome.
john.gibb@odt.co.nz
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