Images(3)

Arm Chair

Period1780 - 1820

MediumMaple, poplar, and ash

Dimensions50.5 × 24.75 × 18.25 in. (128.3 × 62.9 × 46.4 cm)

ClassificationsSeating Furniture

Credit LineGift of Mr. and Mrs. James F. Humphreys, 1961

Object number1990.653

DescriptionAn unusual arm chair with a double bow shaped crest rail above an unusual pair of mirror-image splats, attached to a simple rectangular shoe. Rear posts with double ball and columnar turnings fit into the left and right ends of the crest rail and are pinned into place. Chamfered and shaped arms end in rounded vertical hand rests, and are supported by baluster turnings that are extensions of the front posts. These turned front posts with flattened balls terminate in small ball and peg feet. The remainder of the frame consists of a single turned front stretcher, two pairs of dowel-turned side stretchers, and a single rear stretcher. The chair retains an early and possibly original rush seat woven in the checkered manner. At one time the chair was fitted with rockers. To accommodate them, the inner half of the feet were cut away. The rockers have since been removed and voids filled.
Curatorial RemarksFor a very similar arm chair with the same style of split splat, see Erik Gronning, "Early New York Turned Chairs: A Stoelendraaier's Conceit" in American Furniture (Milwaukee: Chipstone Foundation, 2001), 110-111. The chair illustrated is from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York, accession number 1999.219.1, a gift of the Wunsch Americana Foundation.NotesA handwritten tag on the back of the front stretcher reads "11/8/61 - Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Humphreys / Fair Haven N.J. / Maple and poplar arm chair / 2 stylized baluster splats / From Co. Family." Which Monmouth County family owned the chair was not specified.

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