Side Chair

Original OwnerOriginally owned by Richard Lord (American, died 1712)

Furniture MakerMade by Unknown

Date1690-1710

MediumBeech, cane

DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (overall height x width x depth): 50 x 17 11/16 x 20 1/2in. (127 x 44.9 x 52.1cm)

ClassificationsFurniture

Credit LineConnecticut Museum of Culture and History collection

Object number1859.20.2

DescriptionBeech side chair in the William and Mary, or early baroque, style, with a pierced and carved crest rail, back supports, stay rail, and front stretcher, a caned back panel and seat, and turned stiles, front legs, and stretchers. 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 shaped 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. Centered below the crest rail are two vertical, pierced and carved back supports with a panel of woven cane between them; each back support attaches at the bottom to the stay rail. Each back support is carved in a similar design to the crest rail; the stay rail is carved with two pairs of deep, carved scrolls. Above the seat, each stile angles 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. The caned seat is trapezoidal in shape, with molded front and side seat rails. Each front leg is turned with two baluster forms separated by a block, over a scrolled foot. 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 stretcher turned with a block in the middle; the block has a baluster-and-ring form to either side. The chair has a medial stretcher, connecting the two side stretchers at the block, and a back stretcher. Both the medial stretcher and the back stretcher are turned with baluster-and-ring forms. The chair has a dark brown finish.

Condition: The right stile, at the middle of the back support, is gouged and partially cracked. The left stile is partially cracked above where the seat joins the stile. Above the seat, each stile leans back at a different angle. A portion of a turned ring on the left stile, near the top of the back support, is broken off. The middle of the left back support has cracked along the grain. Portions of the back of the medial stretcher have broken off. The lower front legs are worn and scratched. The cane on the back and on the seat is replaced.

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 of these joints is secured with a wooden pin through the back. 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 each stile. Each side seat rail is tenoned and pinned into the stile in back and into the front seat rail in front. Each front leg has a round tenon that supports the front seat rail. The front and side seat rails have astragal and fillet molding on the outside edge. The front stretcher is tenoned and pinned into the front legs. The back stretcher is tenoned and pinned 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 at the center of each side stretcher.

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.

Status

Not on view