Armchair
Furniture MakerProbably made by
Robbins & Winship
(American, 1838 - 1877)
Dateabout 1860-1870
MediumOak, iron, horsehair
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (overall height x width x depth): 34 7/8 x 20 1/4 x 21 1/2in. (88.6 x 51.4 x 54.6cm)
ClassificationsFurniture
Credit LineMuseum purchase
Object number1986.102.0
DescriptionOak armchair in the Empire, or late neoclassical, style, with a scrolled crest rail, a solid, vase-shaped splat, deeply scrolled arms, curved legs in the klismos style, and a removable slip seat upholstered in black horse hair. The back of the chair is formed by a crest rail atop two stiles. The solid crest rail has a large downward scroll at each side; each side of the crest rail also curves forward. Centered below the crest rail is a solid, vase-shaped splat joined at the bottom to the back seat rail. Just above the seat, each stile curves backwards. Below the seat, each stile forms a slender back leg that curves backward. Each arm bows down slightly in the center, then forms a deep scroll at the front that curves down to form the arm support. Each arm is also supported by a vertical metal rod in the center of the arm. The deep seat is trapezoidal with a removable slip seat upholstered with black horsehair. The slip seat sits just inside the four seat rails at the top of the legs. Each side seat rail bows down slightly in the center, creating an unbroken line from the curving back stile, across the side seat rail, to the front leg. The front seat rail curves out in front, and connects the top of the two slender front legs, each of which has a forward curving knee over a forward pointing foot.
Condition: Both scrolled ends of the crest rail have broken off and been repaired. The interior top corner of the left crest rail has split off and been repaired. Each lower side of the crest rail has split off and been repaired. The scrolled front of each arm has split and been repaired; the left arm scroll was repaired with glue, and the right arm scroll was repaired with a screw through the underside of the seat rail. The top back of each front leg has split and been repaired, possibly using the iron brackets on the interior front corners of the seat frame. A screw is inserted through the top right side of the right front leg and hidden with filler. The horsehair has faded slightly; the linen on the underside of the slip seat is torn at one corner. The finish on the frame has been cleaned and touched up.
Design and Construction Details: The crest rail is located just in front of the top of the two stiles; it is held in place with screws through the back of each stile. The screws and screw holes are hidden with small wooden plugs. The splat is tenoned up into the crest rail and down into the back seat rail. The back of each arm is tenoned into the stile. The metal rod that supports each arm is inserted into the arm from the underside; this joint is concealed with a wooden plug on the top of the arm. The rod extends down through the side seat rail and is secured with an iron nut on threads at the bottom of the rod. The front of each arm rests on the joint where each side seat rail meets the front leg. The seat rails are each tenoned into the top of the legs. The interior top edge of the front seat rail has a rabbet; the slip seat rests on the rabbet in the front seat rail and on the top of the back seat rail. The interior front corners of the seat frame are reinforced with an iron bracket that is screwed into the front and side seat rails (possible later repair).
Upholstered Slip Seat (original). The armchair is accompanied by a removable, upholstered slip seat. The slip seat consists of black horsehair, over a linen undercover, stuffing, sackcloth, webbing, and a trapezoidal wooden frame. The horsehair is tacked to the underside of the frame with small nails, as is a black linen that conceals the underside of the slip seat.
NotesHistorical Note: According to museum records this chair was made from wood from the Charter Oak which fell in 1856.Condition: Both scrolled ends of the crest rail have broken off and been repaired. The interior top corner of the left crest rail has split off and been repaired. Each lower side of the crest rail has split off and been repaired. The scrolled front of each arm has split and been repaired; the left arm scroll was repaired with glue, and the right arm scroll was repaired with a screw through the underside of the seat rail. The top back of each front leg has split and been repaired, possibly using the iron brackets on the interior front corners of the seat frame. A screw is inserted through the top right side of the right front leg and hidden with filler. The horsehair has faded slightly; the linen on the underside of the slip seat is torn at one corner. The finish on the frame has been cleaned and touched up.
Design and Construction Details: The crest rail is located just in front of the top of the two stiles; it is held in place with screws through the back of each stile. The screws and screw holes are hidden with small wooden plugs. The splat is tenoned up into the crest rail and down into the back seat rail. The back of each arm is tenoned into the stile. The metal rod that supports each arm is inserted into the arm from the underside; this joint is concealed with a wooden plug on the top of the arm. The rod extends down through the side seat rail and is secured with an iron nut on threads at the bottom of the rod. The front of each arm rests on the joint where each side seat rail meets the front leg. The seat rails are each tenoned into the top of the legs. The interior top edge of the front seat rail has a rabbet; the slip seat rests on the rabbet in the front seat rail and on the top of the back seat rail. The interior front corners of the seat frame are reinforced with an iron bracket that is screwed into the front and side seat rails (possible later repair).
Upholstered Slip Seat (original). The armchair is accompanied by a removable, upholstered slip seat. The slip seat consists of black horsehair, over a linen undercover, stuffing, sackcloth, webbing, and a trapezoidal wooden frame. The horsehair is tacked to the underside of the frame with small nails, as is a black linen that conceals the underside of the slip seat.
Status
Not on view
