Stool
Original OwnerOriginally owned by
George Washington
(American, 1732 - 1799)
Furniture MakerMade by
Unknown
Date1789-1797
MediumBeech, twill woven linen, black silk binding, horsehair
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (overall height x width x depth): 18 x 21 3/8 x 18 1/4in. (45.7 x 54.3 x 46.4cm)
ClassificationsFurniture
Credit LineGift of Frederick Henry Wolcott
Object number1844.73.0
DescriptionBeech stool in the neoclassical style, with a upholstered concave seat, four crossed legs, and hairy-paw feet. The seat is rectangular and concave, or bowed down along each of the long sides. It is upholstered in a squared profile with red twill woven linen that originally had black silk binding at each edge. Below each long side of the seat are two legs. The legs are in the curule form; each leg curves down and toward the center of that side of the chair, crosses the opposite leg, then curves down to form a small hairy-paw foot. Each surface of each leg has a raised border and a recessed area in the center. The joint where the two legs join consists of a circle with an applied round medallion (now missing). The two joints are connected by a medial stretcher that is turned with cylinder, ring and baluster forms. The legs and stretcher are painted grey.
Condition: The medallions applied to the joint where the legs cross are missing. All of the feet are damaged. The upholstery is original, but badly worn or missing on the edges and sides, and stained on the top. The black silk binding is missing in most areas and the undercover is visible through the red twill linen. The upholstery is covered with a fine black conservation mesh. The chair legs are painted with a later lead white paint which is flaking significantly. Below the white paint are the following layers: varnish, white paint, black paint, varnish, and a gray-green gesso applied directly to the wood. At the same time the legs were painted black, each foot was glazed green with metallic flecks.
Design and Construction Details:
Stool Frame: The seat is constructed of a rectangular frame; the short sides of the seat are tenoned into each end of the long sides. The seat frame is supported on a tenon at the top of each leg. Each side of the frame has a single leg that is continuous, extending from the frame to the floor. The other leg on that side curves down to the center of the continuous leg, then resumes on the opposite side. The paw feet are carved out of a laminated block; the laminated portions are glued and nailed onto the bottom of each leg (now damaged). The medial stretcher is tenoned into the lower legs.
Upholstery. The seat is upholstered in red twill woven linen with a black silk binding at each edge. The red linen is applied over a tightly-woven linen undercover, a loosely-woven linen undercover, horsehair, and woven webbing. The linen undercover and woven webbing are tacked directly to the seat frame. There is no sackcloth.
NotesProvenance Note: No clear documentation exists explaining how the ottoman entered the Wolcott family. The most likely scenario is that George Washington gave furniture from his New York or Philadelphia mansions away to close associates before returning to Mount Vernon at the end of his presidency. One such recipient could have been his Secretary of the Treasury (and Governor of Connecticut) Oliver Wolcott, Jr. An armchair in the Litchfield Historical Society made of similar materials in a similar style as this ottoman is published by the LHS as having been given by Washington to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., and it is possible that the ottoman was also given. Oliver Wolcott, Jr., could easily have passed the ottoman to his nephew, Frederick Henry Wolcott, who then gave it to the Connecticut Historical Society.Condition: The medallions applied to the joint where the legs cross are missing. All of the feet are damaged. The upholstery is original, but badly worn or missing on the edges and sides, and stained on the top. The black silk binding is missing in most areas and the undercover is visible through the red twill linen. The upholstery is covered with a fine black conservation mesh. The chair legs are painted with a later lead white paint which is flaking significantly. Below the white paint are the following layers: varnish, white paint, black paint, varnish, and a gray-green gesso applied directly to the wood. At the same time the legs were painted black, each foot was glazed green with metallic flecks.
Design and Construction Details:
Stool Frame: The seat is constructed of a rectangular frame; the short sides of the seat are tenoned into each end of the long sides. The seat frame is supported on a tenon at the top of each leg. Each side of the frame has a single leg that is continuous, extending from the frame to the floor. The other leg on that side curves down to the center of the continuous leg, then resumes on the opposite side. The paw feet are carved out of a laminated block; the laminated portions are glued and nailed onto the bottom of each leg (now damaged). The medial stretcher is tenoned into the lower legs.
Upholstery. The seat is upholstered in red twill woven linen with a black silk binding at each edge. The red linen is applied over a tightly-woven linen undercover, a loosely-woven linen undercover, horsehair, and woven webbing. The linen undercover and woven webbing are tacked directly to the seat frame. There is no sackcloth.
Status
Not on view
