Commonsense Chairs: A Brief History of Mottville’s F. A. Sinclair Chair Factory

This factory, like so many others in the area, was built on the banks of the Skaneateles Creek, utilizing the readily available water power to run its machinery.

Francis Sinclair was born in 1824 in Central New York. He honed his chair-making skills at an early age working at The Community Chair Works in Skaneateles Falls (“The Community” was a communal sect similar to the Oneida Community). He opened his first shop in 1859. When the Civil War broke out, however, Sinclair sold all his tools and leased his factory. It is said that upon hearing about Fort Sumter, he climbed off the factory roof he was repairing, rode to Auburn, and enrolled immediately in the 138th Infantry. He returned to Mottville three years later after suffering a leg wound and opened the Union Chair Works Co. His featured chairs were the Union Chair, the General Grant Chair, and the Mayflower Chair.

Sinclair designed his Mottville Chair (originally nicknamed the Commonsense Chair), based on many previous chair-making traditions. His design combined that of the splint-bottomed chairs of the 17th century, with the shape of the Windsor furniture from the 18th century, and finally the simplicity of the 19th century Shaker style. These practical and affordable chairs were noted for their durability, lightness, and spare elegance and quickly became fixtures in homes, offices, classrooms, hotel lobbies, and porches across the country and beyond.

The name of the company went through several iterations, but it generally always carried Sinclair’s name. In 1866, Sinclair partnered with Joseph Hubbard and built a three-story stone building near his earlier works to manufacture other articles of furniture along with his original line of chairs. Within 10 years he decided that he would revert back to manufacturing chairs only. He continued with chair manufacturing until 1901.

Early chairs were heavier with broader, more elaborate turnings. They featured ash splints for the seats and backs. By the 1880s, Sinclair began using cane for the seats as later chairs were simpler, thus caning was more appropriate. The uprights and front stretchers had incised bands painted black or filled with a tar-like black material. The frames utilized local hardwoods, principally maple, oak, hickory, and white elm. This wood was thoroughly seasoned as opposed to kiln-dried, which destroys the life and the strength of the timber. Each slat and round was driven in as tight as possible and then glued with 1X glue and finished with varnish. The seats were double caned and spliced with Sinclair’s specially designed tie.

Selected, more expensive pieces, were painted red using a shade of English vermillion mixed with boiled linseed and finally coated twice with a heavy-duty varnish guaranteed not to chip or fade. Some chairs were stained mahogany and also warranted not to fade. Four finishes in all were available — a natural finish on maple, an antique oak finish and as noted above the mahogany and English Vermillion/linseed oil finishes. Spindle turnings ranged from simple to more ornate, depending on the finish used. Mushroom-shaped “hat rounds” were always placed on the uprights of chairs manufactured for dining and church use. These chairs also had a third stretcher for reinforcement purposes since they were intended for public use and exposed to greater wear and tear. The more expensive versions had fancier turnings and black stripes present on the uprights. Many variations of Sinclair’s original Commonsense Chair were designed and constructed including furniture such as sewing chairs, double rockers, billiard chairs, student chairs with a tablet arm, church chairs, settees, armchairs, and even small tables. Due to some counterfeit products produced by other companies, a Sinclair chair was always marked by the stamp “F.A. Sinclair/ Mottville, NY.” This stamp, in two straight lines, distinguished it from counterfeit models. His boldest competitor happened to also be located in Mottville and went under the name of Mottville Chair Works. Their products closely resembled the chairs produced by Sinclair’s original Union Chair Works Co., although the Mottville Chair Works chairs were slightly different in height and seat size and in the arrangement of the burnt rings and beveling below the top knobs on the back posts. Sinclair oversaw and took part in every aspect of his manufacturing process. In 1869, this unfortunately resulted in the loss of all the fingers on his left hand to a buzz saw.

F.A. Sinclair printed numerous catalogues to advertise its products. It also benefited from the many flattering testimonials given by individuals — famous and not so famous —throughout the country. Sinclair Company chairs were widely distributed and retail outlets existed in six major American cities. There was also great international demand for the chairs. Adirondack Great Camps and popular Adirondack resorts ordered the rockers in particular for use in their living spaces and on their porches. A special type of lounge chair was designed for convalescent use, possibly with TB patients in mind, which could be adjusted to seven positions. This was called the Adirondack Adjustable Recliner. Early in his career, Sinclair offered a dozen of his chairs for a mere $30 wholesale (Note: Today, one chair in top condition can sell for as much as $100.) Besides the use of catalogues, Sinclair erected a tent annually at the New York State Fair. He exhibited several examples of his products and regularly had lines of Fair visitors waiting to test his most comfortable rocking chairs. Due to the continuing demand for his chairs, Sinclair expanded upon his original factory building numerous times.

In 1901, Sinclair sold his ownership of the company to John Allen. Mr. Allen continued the business alongside his son, Albert, as the Sinclair Allen Chair Works. He purchased the nearby competitor, Mottville Chair Works Co., and merged the two businesses under the name Mottville Chair Works. The business continued until the death of Albert in 1943. (Mr. Sinclair had died in 1918.) The building went through several hands but managed to be kept in fairly good condition. Today’s owners, the Carberry and Engle families, have lovingly restored the building and now run it as a wedding and event venue (the owners went so far as to track down and purchase 200 original Mottville chairs for use in the venue). Obviously, Commonsense Chairs designed and built by Francis A. Sinclair have long outlived him, continuing to be enjoyed by collectors worldwide today.

Karen Y. Cooney is support services administrator at OHA in Syracuse.

This factory, like so many others in the area, was built on the banks of the Skaneateles Creek, utilizing the readily available water power to run its machinery.

Francis Sinclair was born in 1824 in Central New York. He honed his chair-making skills at an early age working at The Community Chair Works in Skaneateles Falls (“The Community” was a communal sect similar to the Oneida Community). He opened his first shop in 1859. When the Civil War broke out, however, Sinclair sold all his tools and leased his factory. It is said that upon hearing about Fort Sumter, he climbed off the factory roof he was repairing, rode to Auburn, and enrolled immediately in the 138th Infantry. He returned to Mottville three years later after suffering a leg wound and opened the Union Chair Works Co. His featured chairs were the Union Chair, the General Grant Chair, and the Mayflower Chair.

Sinclair designed his Mottville Chair (originally nicknamed the Commonsense Chair), based on many previous chair-making traditions. His design combined that of the splint-bottomed chairs of the 17th century, with the shape of the Windsor furniture from the 18th century, and finally the simplicity of the 19th century Shaker style. These practical and affordable chairs were noted for their durability, lightness, and spare elegance and quickly became fixtures in homes, offices, classrooms, hotel lobbies, and porches across the country and beyond.

The name of the company went through several iterations, but it generally always carried Sinclair’s name. In 1866, Sinclair partnered with Joseph Hubbard and built a three-story stone building near his earlier works to manufacture other articles of furniture along with his original line of chairs. Within 10 years he decided that he would revert back to manufacturing chairs only. He continued with chair manufacturing until 1901.

Early chairs were heavier with broader, more elaborate turnings. They featured ash splints for the seats and backs. By the 1880s, Sinclair began using cane for the seats as later chairs were simpler, thus caning was more appropriate. The uprights and front stretchers had incised bands painted black or filled with a tar-like black material. The frames utilized local hardwoods, principally maple, oak, hickory, and white elm. This wood was thoroughly seasoned as opposed to kiln-dried, which destroys the life and the strength of the timber. Each slat and round was driven in as tight as possible and then glued with 1X glue and finished with varnish. The seats were double caned and spliced with Sinclair’s specially designed tie.

Selected, more expensive pieces, were painted red using a shade of English vermillion mixed with boiled linseed and finally coated twice with a heavy-duty varnish guaranteed not to chip or fade. Some chairs were stained mahogany and also warranted not to fade. Four finishes in all were available — a natural finish on maple, an antique oak finish and as noted above the mahogany and English Vermillion/linseed oil finishes. Spindle turnings ranged from simple to more ornate, depending on the finish used. Mushroom-shaped “hat rounds” were always placed on the uprights of chairs manufactured for dining and church use. These chairs also had a third stretcher for reinforcement purposes since they were intended for public use and exposed to greater wear and tear. The more expensive versions had fancier turnings and black stripes present on the uprights. Many variations of Sinclair’s original Commonsense Chair were designed and constructed including furniture such as sewing chairs, double rockers, billiard chairs, student chairs with a tablet arm, church chairs, settees, armchairs, and even small tables. Due to some counterfeit products produced by other companies, a Sinclair chair was always marked by the stamp “F.A. Sinclair/ Mottville, NY.” This stamp, in two straight lines, distinguished it from counterfeit models. His boldest competitor happened to also be located in Mottville and went under the name of Mottville Chair Works. Their products closely resembled the chairs produced by Sinclair’s original Union Chair Works Co., although the Mottville Chair Works chairs were slightly different in height and seat size and in the arrangement of the burnt rings and beveling below the top knobs on the back posts. Sinclair oversaw and took part in every aspect of his manufacturing process. In 1869, this unfortunately resulted in the loss of all the fingers on his left hand to a buzz saw.

F.A. Sinclair printed numerous catalogues to advertise its products. It also benefited from the many flattering testimonials given by individuals — famous and not so famous —throughout the country. Sinclair Company chairs were widely distributed and retail outlets existed in six major American cities. There was also great international demand for the chairs. Adirondack Great Camps and popular Adirondack resorts ordered the rockers in particular for use in their living spaces and on their porches. A special type of lounge chair was designed for convalescent use, possibly with TB patients in mind, which could be adjusted to seven positions. This was called the Adirondack Adjustable Recliner. Early in his career, Sinclair offered a dozen of his chairs for a mere $30 wholesale (Note: Today, one chair in top condition can sell for as much as $100.) Besides the use of catalogues, Sinclair erected a tent annually at the New York State Fair. He exhibited several examples of his products and regularly had lines of Fair visitors waiting to test his most comfortable rocking chairs. Due to the continuing demand for his chairs, Sinclair expanded upon his original factory building numerous times.

In 1901, Sinclair sold his ownership of the company to John Allen. Mr. Allen continued the business alongside his son, Albert, as the Sinclair Allen Chair Works. He purchased the nearby competitor, Mottville Chair Works Co., and merged the two businesses under the name Mottville Chair Works. The business continued until the death of Albert in 1943. (Mr. Sinclair had died in 1918.) The building went through several hands but managed to be kept in fairly good condition. Today’s owners, the Carberry and Engle families, have lovingly restored the building and now run it as a wedding and event venue (the owners went so far as to track down and purchase 200 original Mottville chairs for use in the venue). Obviously, Commonsense Chairs designed and built by Francis A. Sinclair have long outlived him, continuing to be enjoyed by collectors worldwide today.

Karen Y. Cooney is support services administrator at OHA in Syracuse.