American chairmakers perfected the fan-back Windsor side chair, so-called because the flaring spindles of its back resemble a partially open fan, in the 1780s. The central, elongated baluster or vase-like turnings atop short spools and tapered ends on the back posts and legs of this one suggest it was the work of a Philadelphia-trained craftsman. According to family history, it was given to Robert Graham, an overseer at Mount Vernon at some point after George Washington's death. While Washington certainly would have been familiar with fan-back Windsors, whether or not he originally owned this example remains an open question.