Vintage Convertible Library Chair, also famously known as an Onaway chair, metamorphic chair, or step stool chair

This fascinating piece of furniture is a vintage convertible library chair, also famously known as an Onaway chair, metamorphic chair, or step stool chair. The two images show the exact same object in its two different configurations: the second image shows it folded down as a standard ladder-back dining or library chair, while the first image shows it flipped open to reveal a four-step library ladder. • The Metamorphic Hinge: The chair operates using a piano hinge slice straight through the middle of the seat. By lifting the backrest up and flipping it forward over the front of the chair, the back legs and slats instantly pivot to become the upper steps of a sturdy step stool. • The "Onaway" Name: While convertible furniture dates back centuries (with Benjamin Franklin often credited with popularizing an early version in America), the specific design you are looking at strongly resembles the patented 1920s design by the Onaway Chair Company of Michigan. They specialized in these ingenious space-saving pieces for homes and private libraries. Key Features • Style: It features a traditional ladder-back design with thick, sturdy wooden slats, making it look like a perfectly normal piece of rustic or colonial-style furniture when closed. • The Safety Treads: If you look closely at the bottom step in the ladder configuration (the underside of the chair's lower support)

Condition

Used (normal wear)