Side Chair
Original OwnerPossibly originally owned by
Nathaniel Hebard
(American, 1741 - 1803)
Furniture MakerMade by
Unknown
Date1770-1785
MediumSanto Domingo Mahogany, maple, leather, brass hardware
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (overall height x width x depth): 37 1/2 x 21 1/2 x 20 11/16in. (95.3 x 54.6 x 52.5cm)
ClassificationsFurniture
Credit LineBequest of Agnes T. Allen
Object number1968.15.3.1
DescriptionMahogany side chair in the Chippendale style, with an arched crest rail, a pierced splat, straight front legs, and over-the-rails leather upholstery. The back of the chair is formed by a crest rail atop two stiles. The crest rail has an arch in the center, flanked by a small spur and a flat, scrolled ear at each end. Centered below the crest rail is a vase-shaped splat, with a Gothic-style pattern of pierced openings. The splat is joined at the bottom to a tapered splat shoe, just above the back seat rail. Above the seat, each stile is slanted back. Below the seat, each stile forms a back leg that is slanted back and inward. The seat is trapezoidal, with over-the-rails leather upholstery and two parallel rows of brass tacks on each of the front and side seat rails. An open, semi-circular knee bracket is located just under the front seat rail, where the rail meets each front leg. On each side and on the back of the chair, there is a plain, rectangular stretcher joining the legs. A medial stretcher joins the two side stretchers.
Condition: A split in the center of the splat, between the "eyes", has been repaired. The knee brackets are replaced. Each interior corner of the seat frame has a replaced triangular corner block. Portions of the wood at the interior upper edge of the back seat rail have been replaced. The frame is refinished, and the upholstery is replaced.
Design and Construction Details:
Design. The front outer corner of each front leg, and the top front edge of each stretcher has molding consisting of an ovolo, or projecting quarter-circle, flanked by a fillet.
Chair Frame. The crest rail is supported by a tenon at the top of each stile. The back of each stile is rounded above the seat. The sides of the splat, and the sides of each pierced opening, are chamfered. The splat is tenoned into the crest rail; the pierced openings at the top of the splat extend up into the bottom center of the crest rail. The splat is tenoned into the seat rail below. The splat shoe is nailed onto the back seat rail; it has a rectangular cut-out in the back to accommodate the lower edge of the splat. The side and back seat rails are tenoned and pinned into the top of the back legs. The joints at the top of the front legs are concealed by the upholstery and the replacement corner blocks. The knee brackets are nailed to the underside of the front seat rail and to the side of each front leg. The side and back stretchers are tenoned and pinned into the lower portion of each chair leg. The medial stretcher is dovetailed into the side stretchers.
Upholstery. The chair is upholstered with brown leather that is held in place with two rows of brass tacks on the front and side seat rails. The upholstery is replaced, but follows the original pattern of tack holes. Below the leather upholstery is stuffing, sackcloth, and canvas webbing.
NotesCondition: A split in the center of the splat, between the "eyes", has been repaired. The knee brackets are replaced. Each interior corner of the seat frame has a replaced triangular corner block. Portions of the wood at the interior upper edge of the back seat rail have been replaced. The frame is refinished, and the upholstery is replaced.
Design and Construction Details:
Design. The front outer corner of each front leg, and the top front edge of each stretcher has molding consisting of an ovolo, or projecting quarter-circle, flanked by a fillet.
Chair Frame. The crest rail is supported by a tenon at the top of each stile. The back of each stile is rounded above the seat. The sides of the splat, and the sides of each pierced opening, are chamfered. The splat is tenoned into the crest rail; the pierced openings at the top of the splat extend up into the bottom center of the crest rail. The splat is tenoned into the seat rail below. The splat shoe is nailed onto the back seat rail; it has a rectangular cut-out in the back to accommodate the lower edge of the splat. The side and back seat rails are tenoned and pinned into the top of the back legs. The joints at the top of the front legs are concealed by the upholstery and the replacement corner blocks. The knee brackets are nailed to the underside of the front seat rail and to the side of each front leg. The side and back stretchers are tenoned and pinned into the lower portion of each chair leg. The medial stretcher is dovetailed into the side stretchers.
Upholstery. The chair is upholstered with brown leather that is held in place with two rows of brass tacks on the front and side seat rails. The upholstery is replaced, but follows the original pattern of tack holes. Below the leather upholstery is stuffing, sackcloth, and canvas webbing.
Status
Not on view
