Side Chair
Original OwnerOriginally owned by
John Hanmer
American, 1801 - 1881
Original OwnerOriginally owned by
Hannah Belding Churchill
American, 1805 - 1886
Furniture MakerMade by
Unknown
Date1825-1835
MediumMaple, rush
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (overall height x width x depth): 34 3/8 x 17 1/16 x 18 3/4in. (87.3 x 43.3 x 47.6cm)
ClassificationsFurniture
Credit LineGift of George H. Gilman, Jr.
DescriptionPainted side chair in the Empire, or late neoclassical, style, with a turned crest rail, front legs, and stretchers, and a trapezoidal rush seat. The back of the chair is formed by a turned crest rail atop two stiles. Below the crest rail are two slats between the stiles; the top slat is taller than the slender slat below. The crest rail and slats are bowed back slightly in the center. Above the seat, each stile is curved back and has flat front and side surfaces over a band of four turned rings just above the seat. Below the seat, each stile forms a cylindrical back leg over a tapered foot. Each front leg has a block on top that supports the front corners of the trapezoidal rush seat. The rush seat sits just inside four seat rail facings that cover all four sides of the rush. The side seat rail facings are bowed down in the center and have a scrolled front that correspond to the semi-circular scroll of the front seat rail facing. Each front leg is straight, but raked slightly out from top to bottom. The leg is turned with a ring over a tapered center section, a tapered ankle, and a small ball foot. The center tapered section has a notch in the center where it tapers abruptly. The front of the chair has a single stretcher turned with tapered ring forms that connect the two front legs. Each side of the chair has two plain, turned stretchers. The back of the chair has a single plain, turned stretcher.
Painted Decoration (replaced). The frame of the chair, with the exception of the top slat, is faux grained, or painted with light and dark brown paint to imitate curly maple. The chair has gold and black bands outlining the turned rings on the crest rail, stiles, front seat rail facing, front legs, and front stretcher. The top slat has a gold stenciled decoration of fruit on leaves. The front of the crest rail and the front seat rail each have the same gold stenciled symmetrical floral decoration that is highlighted with black paint. The front of each upper stile each has the same gold stenciled design of flowers and leaves. The top of the rush seat has a thick coat of grey paint.
Condition: The chair frame, with the exception of the upper slat, has been repainted and re-stenciled. The paint on the front seat rail is scratched and lightly worn.
Design and Construction Details: The crest rail is joined to each stile with a lap joint at the top back of the stile and crest rail; this joint is secured with a nail or screw through the back that is concealed with filler. Each slat is tenoned into the upper stiles. The seat is constructed of four hidden seat rails that are tenoned into the stiles at the back and into a block at each front corner of the seat. The blocks at the front of the seat are supported on a tenon at the top of the front legs. The rush is woven around this frame. The seat rail facings are nailed in place over the hidden seat rails on all four sides of the seat. The stretchers are tenoned into the legs.
Painted Decoration (replaced). The frame of the chair, with the exception of the top slat, is faux grained, or painted with light and dark brown paint to imitate curly maple. The chair has gold and black bands outlining the turned rings on the crest rail, stiles, front seat rail facing, front legs, and front stretcher. The top slat has a gold stenciled decoration of fruit on leaves. The front of the crest rail and the front seat rail each have the same gold stenciled symmetrical floral decoration that is highlighted with black paint. The front of each upper stile each has the same gold stenciled design of flowers and leaves. The top of the rush seat has a thick coat of grey paint.
Condition: The chair frame, with the exception of the upper slat, has been repainted and re-stenciled. The paint on the front seat rail is scratched and lightly worn.
Design and Construction Details: The crest rail is joined to each stile with a lap joint at the top back of the stile and crest rail; this joint is secured with a nail or screw through the back that is concealed with filler. Each slat is tenoned into the upper stiles. The seat is constructed of four hidden seat rails that are tenoned into the stiles at the back and into a block at each front corner of the seat. The blocks at the front of the seat are supported on a tenon at the top of the front legs. The rush is woven around this frame. The seat rail facings are nailed in place over the hidden seat rails on all four sides of the seat. The stretchers are tenoned into the legs.
Object number1983.101.8
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