Side chair

Status

Not on view

Label Text

This chair, one of a set of six, was acquired to represent six of the “12 Maha[gon]y best gothick Chairs” sent to Washington from London in 1757.

Date1755-1760

Geography Made - England

Medium/TechniqueChair: Mahogany (frame), pine (corner blocks) Slip seat: Hard pine (possibly), jute webbing, Ethafoam, cotton muslin, wool

DimensionsOverall: 33 1/8 in. × 22 in. × 20 1/2 in. (84.14 cm × 55.88 cm × 52.07 cm)

Credit LineGift: Jess and Grace Pavey Fund, 2015

Object numberM-5407

DescriptionOne of a set of six side chairs with Gothic splats, anthemion-carved serpentine crest rails, trapezoidal seat frames, straight legs, and stretchers. The crest rail terminates in rounded ears, with a central section carved with anthemion on a punchwork reserve surmounted by alternating C-scrolls. The splat is composed of pierced strap-work carving including trefoils, quatrefoils, and C-scrolls. The rear stiles are slightly S-curved in profile, flaring forward below the stretchers. Above the seat, the rear stiles are rounded on the back with fluting on the front; below the seat frame, they are square in section. The front legs are square in section with chambering along the inner corners and fluting on both outer faces, terminating below the seat rail. The trapezoidal seat frame has vertically oriented rails with ogee molding at the top edges. There are two side stretchers joined by a medial stretcher; all are rectangular in section, vertically oriented, and slightly rounded on the top edges. The lower edge of the medial stretcher is cut out to a shallow, flat arch.

Construction: Most of the joints on the chair are secured with mortice-and-tenon joints. The side rails are pinned through the sides of the rear stiles. The shoe is nailed to the rear rail and the splat is morticed into the shoe. The pine glue blocks of the seat frame are vertically grained and constructed in two parts. There are two pine glue blocks just below the shoe on the rear rail. The medial stretcher is secured to the side stretchers with sliding dovetail finished on top with a v-notch.

MarkingsIncised “V” on horizontal surface of rabbet in front rail.

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