# 1930's wheelchair



## brighidreppert (Jun 8, 2013)

I am a properties mistress for a small community theatre in Florida and I am in need of a 1930's era wheelchair for a production of 42nd Street. 

I have little to no budget so I need to do this on the cheap.
I'm thinking about modifying a wheelchair that I already have in stock but I'm not sure about how to start....any suggestions?

I need it to look like this

or as close to this as possible

the chair I have looks like this but without the foot rests


----------



## gafftaper (Jun 8, 2013)

Get on the phone and call everyone in town. Some other theater has one they will loan or rent for a reasonable rate. I know the location of three in the Seattle area. Making friends with the prop departments in town and working out sharing agreements is critical to your long term survival! 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


----------



## brighidreppert (Jun 9, 2013)

I'm the theatre that the others call so I know they don't have any


----------



## gafftaper (Jun 9, 2013)

brighidreppert said:


> I'm the theatre that the others call so I know they don't have any



Yikes... what about the next town over? Somebody has to have one. 

If you got stuck... find a thrift store wicker chair and use it to replace the back. I wouldn't worry too much about the look of the seat. Take off the metal side panels to open up the sides. Paint the whole thing flat black to hide the modern chrome or maybe woodgrain paint all that chrome. I think I would just go without the foot rests rather than try to make something that doesn't look right.

Most of all consider yourself lucky that the director isn't insisting on a chair with the big wheels in the front and little ones in the back!!


----------



## Amiers (Jun 9, 2013)

I have had good luck finding vintage stuff at antique stores and hole in the wall record stores. Even older furniture stores in the old downtown distract. If not gafftaper has it spot on wicker n paint.


----------



## BrianWolfe (Jun 11, 2013)

I have one but NY is far to ship. The retrofit actually looks pretty straight forward. The most annoying part is the caned back. You might be able to find an existing piece of furniture for the back panel. The rest is just wood, hinges and paint.


----------



## BrianWolfe (Jun 11, 2013)

Here is another approach that can work depending on the style of your production. I used an old frame that needed rehab. The back was shot so I made a new one out of plywood, edged it with latex decoration and upholstered the back, arms and legs. Sorry the photos are dark.


----------



## BrianWolfe (Jun 11, 2013)

Ebay too:
Antique Wheelchair | eBay


----------



## jonliles (Jun 24, 2013)

what part of Florida? I'm in Atlanta. We could rent one to you, but you would need to come get it and return it.


----------

