Rocking Chair
Original OwnerOriginally owned by
Richard Lord
(American, died 1712)
Furniture MakerMade by
Unknown
Date1690-1710
MediumBeech primary wood, maple, ash, and oak secondary wood, cane, and splint
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (height x width x depth): 50 1/8 x 26 13/16 x 31 1/4in. (127.3 x 68.1 x 79.4cm)
ClassificationsFurniture
Credit LineConnecticut Museum of Culture and History collection
Object number1859.20.1
DescriptionBeech rocking chair (originally an armchair) with a pierced and carved crest rail and front stretcher, a caned back panel and splint seat, and turned stiles, front legs, and stretchers in the William and Mary, or early baroque, style. The back of the chair is formed by a pierced and carved crest rail at the top between two stiles; each stile has a ball-and-urn finial at the top. The crest rail is carved with two tapered tiers of symmetrical arched leaves in the center, flanked by deep, carved scrolls. Below the crest rail are two vertical back supports with a panel of woven cane between them. Each back support has a molded front, and each attaches at the bottom to the stay rail. Above the seat, each stile angle backward and is turned with cone, baluster, ball, and ring forms. Below the seat, each stile forms a leg turned with cylinder and block forms, over a backward-slanting foot. Each arm (replaced) is short, with a flat top surface and a handhold that scrolls out toward the side of the chair. Each arm is supported by a plain turned arm support (later addition) that extends down to the side stretcher. Each front leg (the right one is replaced) is turned with three blocks, each separated by a baluster. The top of each front leg extends slightly higher than the woven splint seat (later addition), which is trapezoidal in shape; the splints cover the molded front and side seat rails. The front stretcher connecting the front legs is pierced and carved, in a pattern similar to the crest rail. Each side of the chair has one turned stretcher with a block in the middle. The chair has a medial stretcher, connecting the two side stretchers at the block. The chair has one back stretcher, turned with ball and ring forms. The bottom of each foot has been altered to accommodate two rockers (later addition). The chair has a red stain.
Condition: The arms are replaced. The arm supports and the rockers are later additions. At one time, the chair had arms supported by the front legs; the front legs above the seat have since been cut off. Each leg has been cut down. The right front leg is replaced. At one time, the seat was caned; currently, the chair has a woven splint seat that covers the seat rails. Two splints around the left side of the front seat rail are broken. A small area of cane on the back of the chair is broken. The chair is refinished.
Design and Construction Details: Each end of the crest rail has a tenon that extends into the block at the top of the stile. Each back support is tenoned into the crest rail above and into the stay rail below. Each end of the stay rail has a rectangular tenon that extends into the stile. The back seat rail is tenoned into the stiles. The front and side seat rails are tenoned and pinned into the legs in the front and into the stiles at the back. The front stretcher is tenoned and pinned into the front legs. The back stretcher is tenoned into the back legs. Each side stretcher is tenoned and pinned into the front and back legs. The medial stretcher is tenoned into the block in the center of each side stretcher. Each arm is tenoned into the stile and is supported on a round tenon at the top of the arm support; the bottom of the arm support is tenoned into the block in the center of each side stretcher. Each rocker is formed by a single shaped board that fits into cut-outs on the bottom of the legs, which have been shortened.
NotesAccession Note: It is not clear from museum records what year rocking chair 1859.20.1 and its mate, side chair 1859.20.2, entered the collection. However, in 1859, James Bidwell Hosmer (1781-1878), Treasurer, and later President, of the Connecticut Historical Society, had his portrait painted while sitting in side chair 1859.20.2. That portrait is number 1861.2.0 in the Connecticut Historical Society collection. Both chairs have been dated at least as early as 1859, based on the date of the portrait.Condition: The arms are replaced. The arm supports and the rockers are later additions. At one time, the chair had arms supported by the front legs; the front legs above the seat have since been cut off. Each leg has been cut down. The right front leg is replaced. At one time, the seat was caned; currently, the chair has a woven splint seat that covers the seat rails. Two splints around the left side of the front seat rail are broken. A small area of cane on the back of the chair is broken. The chair is refinished.
Design and Construction Details: Each end of the crest rail has a tenon that extends into the block at the top of the stile. Each back support is tenoned into the crest rail above and into the stay rail below. Each end of the stay rail has a rectangular tenon that extends into the stile. The back seat rail is tenoned into the stiles. The front and side seat rails are tenoned and pinned into the legs in the front and into the stiles at the back. The front stretcher is tenoned and pinned into the front legs. The back stretcher is tenoned into the back legs. Each side stretcher is tenoned and pinned into the front and back legs. The medial stretcher is tenoned into the block in the center of each side stretcher. Each arm is tenoned into the stile and is supported on a round tenon at the top of the arm support; the bottom of the arm support is tenoned into the block in the center of each side stretcher. Each rocker is formed by a single shaped board that fits into cut-outs on the bottom of the legs, which have been shortened.
Status
Not on view
Object/Object