Exercise chair, England, 1840-1900

Made:: 1840-1900 in England

maker:: Unknown

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This image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

This image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

English exercise chair, 19th century. Full 3/4 view, graduated grey background.
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

English exercise chair, 19th century, detail view, seat back of chair. Graduated grey background.
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

English exercise chair, 19th century, Full side view, graduated grey background.
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

English exercise chair, 19th century

Made from mahogany and leather and measuring just over 2 m high, this exercise chair was said to offer the equivalent of riding a horse. Known in the 1800s as a chamber horse, the user sat on the seat and bounced up and down on the concertina springs as if trotting on a horse. Horse riding was considered a form of healthy exercise. Judging by the materials and its size, the chair was probably owned by someone who was wealthy.

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Science Museum: Making the Modern World Gallery

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Details

Category:: Therapeutics

Object Number:: A57310

Materials:: frame, mahogany, upholstery, leathercloth, black

type:: exercise chair

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