Seat of History

A chronicled military chair enjoys a rebirth at the hands of its most ardent admirer.

text by: Emili Vesilind

July 1, 2005

“War used to be a very civilized affair,” says Nicholas Brawer, “and heaven forbid you went off to war without a mahogany dining table.” As co-owner of F.M. Allen, a safari-inspired travel consulting, apparel and furniture company, Brawer is an authority on the lifestyle habits of the British military elite—from the 1700s through the early 20th century. His expertise lies specifically in the campaign furniture they traveled into battle with; he even penned the definitive  book on the subject: British Campaign Furniture, Elegance Under Canvas 1740–1914.

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F.M. Allen’s model, $750, strays slightly from form: Its double canvas seat negates the need for complex supporting buckles and straps, features found on original models. (Click image to enlarge)

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The portable wood-and-brass furniture, which was most likely named after the French word champ (meaning “field”), was designed to be assembled and disassembled in a matter of minutes without nails, tacks, screws or tools. It also came to signify social rank; officers often had their names inscribed into the pieces. “It was widely used by explorers, colonial administrators and aristocrats,” says Brawer. “The British would surround themselves by the same kind of furniture they had at home. I have pictures of high-ranking military personnel at white-tie dinners in the middle of the African bush.”
 
Brawer, who acts as manager and sources antiques for F.M. Allen’s Madison Avenue store, says the canvas-and-mahogany Roorkhee chair is one of the genre’s quintessential pieces. Named in honor of the headquarters of the Indian Army Corps of Engineers at Roorkhee, ca. 1898, the chair breaks down into a roll of fabric and a series of well-designed sticks, and is easily carried in its own custom-made bag. “It epitomizes the transition between Victorian furniture and camp furniture,” he says.The Roorkhee was all but lost to history until Brawer searched for it years ago—rediscovering versions in British antique shops and attics.
 
F.M. Allen, under his supervision, has introduced a reproduction of the chair, made with solid brass hardware, American canvas and Honduran mahogany. “This is our flagship piece,” says Brawer, who, with partner Tee Faircloth, took over the company from founder Frank Maurice “Bunny” Allen, a safari guide and notorious ladies’ man who lived in Nairobi from the 1920s until his death in 2002 at the age of 95. “Name your modern architectural designer and you can bet that they were influenced by the Roorkhee chair—it’s incredibly important,” says Brawer. “I always say that if furniture could talk, this chair would tell the best stories.” (Click image to enlarge)