Side Chair
Original OwnerOriginally owned by
Noah Seymour
American, 1759 - 1832
Furniture MakerPossibly made by
John Spencer
American
Furniture MakerPossibly made by
Nathaniel Bearding Spencer
American
Date1784-1812
MediumCherry, rush
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (overall height x width x depth): 43 1/4 x 18 7/16 x 15 3/8in. (109.9 x 46.8 x 39.1cm)
ClassificationsFurniture
Credit LineBequest of George Dudley Seymour
DescriptionCherry side chair in the William and Mary, or early baroque, style, with a solid crest rail, a bannister back, turned stiles, bannisters, legs, and stretchers, and a rush seat. The back of the chair is formed by a crest rail at the top between two turned stiles; each stile has a ball-shaped finial at the top. The top center of the crest rail is shaped with a raised half circle; this has an arched spur, a deep circular opening, and a pointed spur to each side. Below the crest rail are four cone-and-reel turned banisters, which attach at the bottom to the stay rail. The banisters are turned and split; the rounded side of each banister faces the front of the chair. The lower edge of the stay rail is shaped with a cyma curve, or S-curve, and reverse cyma curve, flanked by a raised quarter-circle. Above the seat, each stile is turned with a cone-and-reel form. Below the seat, each stile forms a straight back leg with a backward-slanting foot. Each front leg is turned with three cylindrical sections, each separated by a turned baluster, over a conical foot. Each front leg has a rounded top that extends slightly higher than the rush seat, which is trapezoidal in shape. The front of the chair has a stretcher turned with a double-ball form. Each side has a stretcher turned with a double-baluster form. The back has a stretcher turned with a tapered form.
Condition: Two medium-size spots of black tar have dripped onto the rush seat. The frame is refinished, and the rush is replaced.
Design and Construction Details: The crest rail has a rectangular tenon at each side that extends into the block near the top of each stile; each of these joints is secured with a wooden pin through the back. The top front and back edges of the crest rail are slightly chamfered. Each banister is constructed of a split spindle, and each is tenoned into the crest rail at the top and into the stay rail at the bottom. The stay rail has a tenon at each side that extends into the stile. Each seat rail is probably bladelike, with a rounded outer edge and a tapered inner edge. The seat rails and stretchers have round tenons that extend into the front or back legs.
Condition: Two medium-size spots of black tar have dripped onto the rush seat. The frame is refinished, and the rush is replaced.
Design and Construction Details: The crest rail has a rectangular tenon at each side that extends into the block near the top of each stile; each of these joints is secured with a wooden pin through the back. The top front and back edges of the crest rail are slightly chamfered. Each banister is constructed of a split spindle, and each is tenoned into the crest rail at the top and into the stay rail at the bottom. The stay rail has a tenon at each side that extends into the stile. Each seat rail is probably bladelike, with a rounded outer edge and a tapered inner edge. The seat rails and stretchers have round tenons that extend into the front or back legs.
Object number1945.1.1151
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