What have I found?

[IJustHadToNameChange]

I'm on a mission not to buy new.

I'm trying to furnish my house with second hand stuff wherever possible and I scout the charity shops whenever I can.

I was in a local Compton Hospice shop, when I found a small chair.

Small enough for me or a tallish child.

I think it might be called an occasional or salon chair?

Something about it made me pick it up and buy it (£5) even though the upholstery was shot.

I immediately brought it to a local upholsterers and I've collected the newly upholstered chair today.

On handing it over the old guy pointed out some furniture marks I had missed.

It's inlaid with a lighter wood, with fine turnings for the chair back and the marks "TOTTIE" on the underside of the seat, "GM" on the inside of one of the legs and "FL" on the back of the seat.

It's showing sone superficial surface damage and I'm not spending more than I already have on it (upholstery cost the best part of £94) but I'm intrigued enough to look this up.

Can anyone within the Mumsnet collective hive mind point me in the right direction?

Three more photos

Doh

I’m no expert so can’t help with the markings, but that is a lovely chair, and fantastic for a fiver! Most of our furniture is antique and nothing has cost me more than £100, often they cost less than the equivalent modern version. So much better to have a well made piece of furniture than modern crap. I’ll be following with interest to see if anyone can tell you what the markings mean!

I'd be more concerned about the little holes... they look like woodworm?

They're old nail holes.

The seat has been re-upholstered so many times and with various degrees of proficiency.

It's older than it initially appears.

Picture of underside

Welp. Looks like six pictures is my limit......

TBC.....

Hi found this from 2015
www.liveauctioneers.com/item/40973321_antique-english-sideboard-by-jh-tottie-and

Oooooooh. Interesting.

Oooh! Oooh!

www.wikitree.com/wiki/Totty-74

Found this dated January 29th 1828

I'm tracing thus guy's genealogy and career, but there are no pictures of any furniture. ☹

Dear owner of a Tottie chair.
The "maker" is probably Richard Tottie, my great great grand father.
(1818-1885). He had a furniture shop in Manchester, Great Ducie Street. His wife was Betsey Helme. J.H.Tottie was his son, he continued the bussiness till 1902, when he went bankrupt.
If you want to know more about this family, contact me.
Thank your for taking care of the little chair. Beatrix, Amsterdam.

@IJustHadToNameChange

I just PMed her, Corrag

Such an amazing update!

Ooooh!

Sorry, I wasn't too interested in genealogy.

I was actually more interested in the chair than the dealer.

I suspect I may have to go to an actual appraiser to see how old it is.

But thank you. That's amazing.