Welcome to the Frederick Parker chair collection. This is a unique collection of around 200 English chairs dating from the 1670s to 2015. Most of the chairs were purchased as antiques by Frederick Parker & Sons in the first half of the 20^th century to provide models for reproduction.  It is the only surviving collection formed in this way and gives a special insight into the furniture industry at this time.  Further chairs have been added since the 1950s reflecting changing styles and modern design.

Alongside the chair collection is the comprehensive archive of Frederick Parker & Sons and Parker Knoll, capturing over a century of furniture design, production and marketing.  Together the chair collection and archive are a rich source for studies in design, furniture and the home. They are owned by the Furniture Makers’ Company and are accessible for study online and at the East London Furniture Institute (ELFI) at London Design and Engineering University Technical College (for the chair collection) and London Metropolitan University (for the archive).

In 2026 it became necessary to reduce the size of the chair collection.  A careful selection of 75 were chosen for long-term loan to the London Design and Engineering University Technical College where they will be accessible to visitors from autumn 2026.  The remainder are being dispersed through public sale and donations to colleges offering furniture and upholstery courses. 

This online catalogue of the Frederick Parker chair collection has been compiled by Christopher Claxton Stevens, John Cross, David Dewing, Sharon Goodman and Jo Sovin, and has been edited by David Dewing.  The chairs were photographed by Stephen Blunt and Ian Lillicrapp.  The website uses Omeka software and has been created by Kathleen Lawther and Andy Wallis with design by Andrew Beavis.  Thanks are also due to Peter Fisher, George Cooper and Gil Carter.