Side Chair
Furniture MakerMade by
Unknown
Date1740-1770
MediumMaple, leather
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (overall height x width x depth): 41 3/4 x 20 3/16 x 20 1/2in. (106 x 51.3 x 52.1cm)
ClassificationsFurniture
Credit LineGift of Mrs. Grace Clarkson Wilcox
Object number1935.2.2.2a,b
DescriptionMaple side chair in the Queen Anne, or late baroque, style, with a yoke-shaped crest rail, a splat-back, cabriole front legs, shaped front and side seat rails, and a leather upholstered slip seat. The back of the chair is formed by a yoke-shaped crest rail atop two stiles. Centered below the crest rail is a solid, vase-shaped splat, which attaches at the bottom to a tapered splat shoe, just above the back seat rail. Above the seat, each stile and the splat curve backward. Below the seat, each stile forms a straight leg over a backward-slanted foot. The seat is trapezoidal, with a leather upholstered removable slip seat (replaced). A strip of thumbnail molding is applied to the top front and top sides of the seat; the molding consists of an ovolo and a fillet. The front and side seat rails each have a shaped lower edge, consisting of a horizontal in the center flanked by a deep cyma curve. Each cabriole front leg terminates in a pad foot.
Condition: The upper and lower edges of the splat have split on the left side, around the wooden pins. The split in the lower edge has completely separated; it was repaired with a wooden pin through the back of the splat shoe. The surface of the lower left side of the left stile has split. The top edges of the molding around the seat, and the furthest projecting points of the cabriole legs, are well worn and scratched. The wood has split around the wooden pins at both ends of the right seat rail, on the front end of the left seat rail, and on the left side of the front seat rail. The lower back edge of the left seat rail has split off. A small chip is missing from the lower edge of the left cyma curve on the left seat rail. The leather cover on the original slip seat is badly cracked in the center, and the edges are well worn; the webbing is missing. The chair has a replacement upholstered slip seat.
Design and Construction Details:
Chair Frame. The crest rail is supported by a tenon at the top of each stile; the joint is secured with a wooden pin. Above and below the seat, the back edges of each stile are chamfered. The top of the splat has a long, rectangular tenon that is double-pinned into it. The edges of the back side of the splat are chamfered. The bottom of the splat is tenoned and double-pinned into the splat shoe. The splat shoe is made from the same solid piece of wood as the back seat rail. The back seat rail is tenoned and double-pinned into each stile; it is higher than the front and side seat rails. The back of each side seat rail is tenoned and double-pinned through the stile; two small wedges are inserted through the back of each tenon. The front of each side seat rail, and the front seat rail, are tenoned and double-pinned into the top of the front legs. Molding is nailed down to the outer top edge of the front and side seat rails and the front legs. The slip seat rests on the lap joint formed by the molding nailed at the top of the seat rails and legs. The interior edges of each back leg are chamfered.
Upholstered Slip Seats. The side chair is accompanied by two removable slip seats; one is a replacement. The older, possibly original, slip seat consists of brown leather (badly cracked) over an undercover, grass stuffing, sackcloth, webbing (now missing), and a trapezoidal maple frame. The leather is nailed to the underside of the frame. At one time, this slip seat had green upholstery fabric over the leather. The upholstered replacement slip seat consists of brown leather (replaced) over an undercover, stuffing, sackcloth, webbing, and a trapezoidal maple frame. The leather is nailed to the underside of the frame.
Condition: The upper and lower edges of the splat have split on the left side, around the wooden pins. The split in the lower edge has completely separated; it was repaired with a wooden pin through the back of the splat shoe. The surface of the lower left side of the left stile has split. The top edges of the molding around the seat, and the furthest projecting points of the cabriole legs, are well worn and scratched. The wood has split around the wooden pins at both ends of the right seat rail, on the front end of the left seat rail, and on the left side of the front seat rail. The lower back edge of the left seat rail has split off. A small chip is missing from the lower edge of the left cyma curve on the left seat rail. The leather cover on the original slip seat is badly cracked in the center, and the edges are well worn; the webbing is missing. The chair has a replacement upholstered slip seat.
Design and Construction Details:
Chair Frame. The crest rail is supported by a tenon at the top of each stile; the joint is secured with a wooden pin. Above and below the seat, the back edges of each stile are chamfered. The top of the splat has a long, rectangular tenon that is double-pinned into it. The edges of the back side of the splat are chamfered. The bottom of the splat is tenoned and double-pinned into the splat shoe. The splat shoe is made from the same solid piece of wood as the back seat rail. The back seat rail is tenoned and double-pinned into each stile; it is higher than the front and side seat rails. The back of each side seat rail is tenoned and double-pinned through the stile; two small wedges are inserted through the back of each tenon. The front of each side seat rail, and the front seat rail, are tenoned and double-pinned into the top of the front legs. Molding is nailed down to the outer top edge of the front and side seat rails and the front legs. The slip seat rests on the lap joint formed by the molding nailed at the top of the seat rails and legs. The interior edges of each back leg are chamfered.
Upholstered Slip Seats. The side chair is accompanied by two removable slip seats; one is a replacement. The older, possibly original, slip seat consists of brown leather (badly cracked) over an undercover, grass stuffing, sackcloth, webbing (now missing), and a trapezoidal maple frame. The leather is nailed to the underside of the frame. At one time, this slip seat had green upholstery fabric over the leather. The upholstered replacement slip seat consists of brown leather (replaced) over an undercover, stuffing, sackcloth, webbing, and a trapezoidal maple frame. The leather is nailed to the underside of the frame.
Status
On view
