Child's Side Chair
Furniture MakerMade by
Unknown
Date1815-1830
MediumMahogany, black horsehair, brass tacks
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (overall height x width x depth): 20 x 12 x 12 7/8in. (50.8 x 30.5 x 32.7cm)
ClassificationsFurniture
Credit LineConnecticut Museum of Culture and History collection
DescriptionMahogany child's side chair in the Empire, or late neoclassical, style, with a tablet crest rail, a horsehair upholstered seat, and klismos-style legs. The back of the chair is formed by a rectangular crest rail at the top of two stiles. The crest rail is bowed back slightly in the center, and the top edge is scrolled back. Below the crest rail is a rectangular rail between the two stiles. Above the seat, each stile is curved back slightly. Below the seat, each stile is tapered and curves backward to form a klismos, or saber, leg. The seat is deep and trapezoidal, with a slip seat upholstered in floral pattern black horsehair between the two side seat rails. Each side seat rail is bosed down in the center and has a scrolled front end. The front seat rail is decorated with horizontal reeds. Each front leg is tapered and curves forward to form a klismos leg.
Condition: The top of the back right seat rail has split. There is minor splitting to the wood where each side seat rail meets the stiles. The scrolled front of the right seat rail has split.
Design and Construction Details:
Frame Construction. The crest rail is formed from two horizontal pieces of wood glued together at a butt joint. The crest rail is joined to the front top of the stiles with a screw through the back; the screw is concealed with wood filler. The rail is tenoned into the stiles. The back of each side seat rail is teoned into the stile, and secured with an iron plate screwed across the interior side of the joint. The front seat rail is tenoned into the front of each side seat rail. Each side seat rail is supported on a tenon at the top of the front leg.
Upholstery. The side chair has an upholstered slip seat that is screwed to the underside of the front and back seat rails. The slip seat consists of a wooden board that is upholstered with black horsehair over stuffingmaterial on top and a black linen on the bottom. The horsehair has a black floral pattern. A row of brass nails is located at the front edge of the slip seat.
Condition: The top of the back right seat rail has split. There is minor splitting to the wood where each side seat rail meets the stiles. The scrolled front of the right seat rail has split.
Design and Construction Details:
Frame Construction. The crest rail is formed from two horizontal pieces of wood glued together at a butt joint. The crest rail is joined to the front top of the stiles with a screw through the back; the screw is concealed with wood filler. The rail is tenoned into the stiles. The back of each side seat rail is teoned into the stile, and secured with an iron plate screwed across the interior side of the joint. The front seat rail is tenoned into the front of each side seat rail. Each side seat rail is supported on a tenon at the top of the front leg.
Upholstery. The side chair has an upholstered slip seat that is screwed to the underside of the front and back seat rails. The slip seat consists of a wooden board that is upholstered with black horsehair over stuffingmaterial on top and a black linen on the bottom. The horsehair has a black floral pattern. A row of brass nails is located at the front edge of the slip seat.
Object number2006.37.0
MarkingsThe number "55" is stamped into the underside of the right, front and back seat rails.Subject Terms
On View
Not on view
