Pair of Rustic Oak Tripod Stools with Round Seats, France, 1920

A pair of rustic oak tripod stools from France, made around 1920. Simple three-legged stools like these were found in farmhouses, workshops and dairies all over the French countryside, where they were valued for standing firm on uneven floors. Each stool has a thick round seat, carved from a single piece of oak, resting on three splayed, tapered legs. The legs pass right through the seat, and the round ends of the through-tenons form a decorative pattern of three dots on top, a beautiful and honest detail of traditional joinery. The oak has a warm, deep brown patina with a lively, open grain, built up over a century of use. The seats are softly worn at the edges, and the slender legs give the stools a light, almost sculptural silhouette. Use them as extra seating, as small side tables next to a sofa or bed, or as plant stands. They bring warmth and rustic character to a country house, but look just as striking in a minimalist or contemporary interior. Condition: normal signs of age and use. One stool has small chips and a small crack on the edge of the seat. Seat tops: 30.5 x 31.5 cm and 30 x 30 cm.