Army folding camp stool

[richsc]

I was at the opening of the new antiquities dealer in DC, SandsofTime, and in the window was what the owner (Sue McGovern) described as a Roman army camp stool, excavated from a German fort (she did not recall the name offhand but will get that from me). Sue said this pattern is repeated in all other stools she is aware of, even if made from bronze rather than iron as this one is. Is this correct? I noted the odd "U" shape uprights that seem to have no function and make it weaker: is this typical?<br>
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img.photobucket.com/album...ChairD.jpg<br>
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v45/Richsc/RomanChairD.jpg" style="border:0;"/><br>
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I am hoping that it will be fairly straightforward for a good iron worker to copy this.<br>
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BTW, she called it a curule chair, to her meaning "chariot". Is this the etymology? <p>Legio XX<br>
Caput dolet, pedes fetent, Iesum non amo<br>
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</p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=richsc@romanarmytalk>RichSC</A> at: 9/11/04 4:12 am<br></i>

[Anonymous]

It looks to be in pretty good shape after 2000 years. Are you sure that it doesn't say "Product of India" some where on it? <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Ive seen a similar one in a museum-- trying to find my photo of it <p><img src="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.martin/forum/mark.gif
" width="100" height="100" align="right">
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[John Maddox Roberts]

The curule chair was a camp-style folder, but it was a chair of office used by Roman magistrates when sitting in judgment. It comes from a word meaning "of a chariot," presumably because it's the kind you'd carry along in the carriage when you were traveling. The curule offices were: curule aedile, praetor and consul, at least during the Republic. <p></p><i></i>

[Matthew Amt]

Fascinating! Could it be upside-down? Are there any depictions of this thing in use that could help solve the mystery?<br>
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Matthew/Quintus <p></p><i></i>

[aitor iriarte]

No, it isn't upside down and that curious U features are intended for folding the stool completely (i.e.) there should be a hinge in the middle of the opposite upper bar...<br>
They are 'common' finds in German forts (BTW, if I recall well, our archi-banned Dan sent Rich a pic of one to be posted on this forum centuries ago...)<br>
And definitely, it is not 'made in India'! Deepeeka makes a version of one of those stools. We bought it and I fell ignominiously backwards when one of its weldings gave way just in the moment when I was to give my veredict after a gladiatorial fight and everybody was looking at me during our Roman festival, last week end. The public found it very funny...<br>
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Aitor <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

It looks so nice! So, if these folding stools are indeed common finds, maybe this stool is geniune. <p></p><i></i>

[richsc]

Hinge in the back? Didn't see that at all, but much is obscured by the rust and whatever is all over it. Even the peening is hard to see unless you're looking for it. I'll see if I can get a better image. <p>Legio XX<br>
Caput dolet, pedes fetent, Iesum non amo<br>
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</p><i></i>

[richsc]

You're right; here's the pic that Dan sent:<br>
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img.photobucket.com/album...pstuhl.jpg<br>
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You'll note that there is something that seems to bridge the separated upper bar, but I can't see where that would be. <p>Legio XX<br>
Caput dolet, pedes fetent, Iesum non amo<br>
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</p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=richsc@romanarmytalk>RichSC</A> at: 9/13/04 7:14 pm<br></i>

[aitor iriarte]

Aha!<br>
Apart from folding like an 'X', the stool should fold again in half.<br>
For achieving that, the two lower transverse bars should have hinges in their mid-parts, so as one of the upper ones should. The other upper bar is simply left split in two and the 'U's or 'S's are struts to keep its halves rigid enough.<br>
There is something that doesn't work with the stool at 'Sands of time'. If there are no mid-hinges in the bars, why one of the upper bars is split in two like if the stool were twice foldable?<br>
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Aitor <p></p><i></i>

[derek forrest]

The Guard has one in Brass. Its very flimsy and can only be used by females or males who have aged and dwindled to the necessary frailty where they need to sit and if they do they do not break the stool. <p></p><i></i>

[richsc]

I can see where a brass or bronze version would be too weak, but making a hinge like that seems to make it even weaker. Besides, what would a iron hinge look like? I sure didn't see any indication that there was one there, and then, could your average blacksmith do such a hinge? Maybe it's just a style that the Y shape is there with or without the extra hinge./ <p>Legio XX<br>
Caput dolet, pedes fetent, Iesum non amo<br>
<br>
</p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Out of curiosity, how much is she asking for it?<br>
<br>
Gaius Septimus Lucianus <p></p><i></i>

[richsc]

$8500 US<br>
<br>
Sands of Time DC Antiquities <p>Legio XX<br>
Caput dolet, pedes fetent, Iesum non amo<br>
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</p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=richsc@romanarmytalk>RichSC</A> at: 9/14/04 10:54 am<br></i>

[aitor iriarte]

The stool is quite rigid, in spite of its articulations. I weigh around 100 kg and the Deepeeka replica stood well until one of its faulty weldings ripped open. No need to say that that piece was forged in one on the original stool. It isn't flimsy at all, on the contrary, it is very cleverly designed!<br>
Hinges?<br>
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tribunus/klappstuhlcopia.jpg" style="border:0;"/><br>
They are very clear on the drawing. I've painted tiney red dots on their axis ant the blue arrows indicate the direction in whick they are folded. That kind of hinge was recularly used by Romans on doors and furniture.<br>
In my opinion, the split upper bar should be associated with hinges on the other bars, otherwise, it would have been only a useless and debilitating feature for the stool!<br>
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Aitor <p></p><i></i>