Model 370A

The Ercol Windsor 370A is a carver dining chair – “carver” meaning it has arms, traditionally placed at the heads of dining tables. Part of Ercol’s Windsor range that brought traditional stick-back chair construction into mid-century homes, the 370A combines the company’s Windsor furniture heritage with 1960s-70s proportions and finishing.

Each 370A here has been professionally restored in our Devon workshop. Elm seats are hand sanded to remove decades of wear, then finished with Danish oil. Beech frames and spindles get the same treatment – careful sanding to remove marks and grime without losing the wood’s character, then oiling to bring out natural colour and grain. Joints are checked and reglued where necessary; these chairs were built to last but 50+ years of use can loosen even proper mortise and tenon construction.

What makes the 370A distinctive:

The combination of Windsor stick-back construction with comfortable dining chair proportions. Steam-bent back supports creating the characteristic curved back. Turned spindles throughout – in the back and supporting the arms. Solid elm seat (Ercol’s signature) with the saddle shape that makes Windsor chairs comfortable without upholstery. Shaped arms at a height that works for dining – low enough to tuck under tables, positioned for comfortable armrests while eating.

The 370A is the armed version in Ercol’s Windsor dining chair range. You’ll often find these paired with armless versions (different model numbers) at the same table – traditionally carvers at the heads, side chairs along the sides.

Materials and construction:

Solid elm seat – heavy, dense timber that holds the saddle shaping and takes decades of use. The elm is deliberately thick because that’s what gives Windsor seats their strength and comfort. Beech for the frame, spindles, and arms – lighter in colour than elm, strong enough for turned components, takes steam-bending well.

Construction shows traditional Windsor techniques adapted to mid-century production. Steam-bent back supports creating curves you can’t achieve by cutting. Turned spindles on lathes – each one shaped individually. Mortise and tenon joints holding spindles into seats and frames. No screws, no brackets, just proper joinery that’s held up for 50+ years.

The saddle-shaped seat is hand-carved or pressed into form – the scooped shape that makes Windsor chairs comfortable to sit on for hours. This isn’t just aesthetic; it’s functional ergonomics from centuries of chair-making tradition.

Ercol Windsor heritage:

Lucian Ercolani (founder of Ercol) trained in traditional Windsor chair making before establishing his company. The Windsor range brought this heritage into mid-century production – keeping traditional construction methods while updating proportions, finishing, and details for 1960s-70s tastes.

The 370A shows this combination: traditional stick-back and steam-bent construction, but lighter proportions than Victorian Windsors, cleaner lines, Danish oil finishing rather than dark stains. Traditional craft meeting mid-century aesthetics.

Dimensions and proportions:

Dining chair height – seat around 45cm, total height with back around 90-95cm. Arms positioned so chairs can tuck under standard dining tables (though you need to check your specific table height). Width across arms typically around 55-60cm – substantial enough for comfort without being so wide they dominate small dining rooms.
The 370A works at standard dining tables – Ercol designed these for everyday use in normal homes, not just showrooms. Proportions suit average adult heights and typical British dining table heights from the same era.

Authentication:

Genuine Ercol 370A chairs have the company stamp underneath the seat – “Ercol” with the model number 370A, though stamps can wear faint or disappear over decades of use. Construction quality is the real identifier: solid elm seat (heavy and substantial), beech frame and spindles, steam-bent components, proper turned work on spindles, mortise and tenon joinery throughout.

The weight is a good indicator – solid elm seats are heavy. Lift a genuine Ercol Windsor and you’ll notice the weight compared to lighter reproductions or cheaper alternatives. The saddle shaping should be properly executed, not just a token scoop. Spindles should be evenly turned and properly seated in their mortises.

Condition and wear patterns:

Windsor dining chairs show wear in predictable places after 50+ years. Seat surfaces – where people have sat thousands of times – develop smooth wear patterns. Arm tops show hand marks and slight darkening from oils. Spindles might show minor scuffs from backs rubbing against them. Feet show wear from being dragged across floors.

Front stretchers (the horizontal support between front legs) often show the most wear – this is where people rest their feet while sitting. Darkening, smoothing, sometimes slight indentations from decades of shoes. This is normal wear, not damage, though excessive wear can weaken joints.

We’re transparent about condition. If joints have been reglued, if there are repairs to broken spindles, if seats have been refinished, if feet show significant wear – you’ll know. Some 370As retain original finish but darkened with age; others need complete refinishing depending on how they’ve been used and stored.

Restoration work:

Hand sanding removes decades of accumulated grime, water marks (from wet glasses on arms), scratches, and surface damage without removing the wood’s character. We’re careful around turned details and steam-bent components – these define the chair’s character and can’t be replaced if over-sanded.

Danish oil brings out elm and beech naturally – the grain, the colour variations, the warmth of quality timber. We don’t stain to hide differences between elm seats and beech frames; that contrast is part of the design.

Joint repairs are done properly – mortise and tenon joints reglued with appropriate adhesives, loose spindles reset, structural issues addressed. We don’t use screws or brackets to fix Windsor joints; that’s not how these chairs were built and it compromises the construction.

Pairing and sets:

The 370A is designed to work with Ercol’s armless Windsor dining chairs (various model numbers depending on back style). Traditionally you’d have two carvers at table ends and side chairs along the sides. Sets often get split up over decades, so finding matching 370As or complete sets is increasingly difficult.

Carvers work perfectly well mixed with other Ercol Windsor side chairs – the construction, materials, and finishing are consistent across the range even when model numbers differ. The important match is construction quality and finish colour rather than identical model numbers.

Modern dining use:

The 370A works exactly as intended – comfortable dining chair with arms for the heads of tables. The Windsor construction means they’re comfortable for long dinners without needing upholstery. Arms provide armrests without making chairs too wide for standard dining tables.

These suit both traditional dining rooms and modern kitchens. The clean lines work with contemporary interiors while the craftsmanship and solid timber add warmth and character that modern dining chairs often lack. Practical enough for daily family use, handsome enough for dinner parties.

These come from house clearances and sales across Southwest England. They’ve sat at family dining tables since the 1960s-70s, hosted decades of meals, and survived because Ercol built them properly. Restored to working condition, there’s no reason they won’t continue for another 50+ years – that’s what solid elm, beech, and proper Windsor joinery achieve.