Chippendale Carved and Figured Mahogany Side Chair

Object Details

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Object Essay

Solid banisters were contemporary but more conservative alternatives to carved and pierced examples, although the original owner of this chair still would have paid handsomely for the elaborate shell carving of the crest rail and for the cabriole legs with leaves on the knees and ball and claw feet. The distinctive carving of the crest relates this object to an armchair at Winterthur and recalls the shells on the drawers of early dressing tables, whereas the shells on the ears recall the Loockerman set of chairs in the Collection (See Acc. No. 71.4, 71.8, 71.9, 71.20, 71.21 & 73.19).^{1_{Downs 1952, no. 35. A side chair in the Henry Ford Museum appears to be from the same set as this one (see Campbell, 20). Acc. No. 1971.132 is published in Sack 1950, 39.}}

A similarly carved chair with compass seat indicates the range of design options and construction techniques that coexisted throughout the second half of the 18th century, further confounding the traditional concept of a linear progression of styles. In this instance, the solid banister reflects the patron’s preference, just one of several choices for this stylish frame that could have been offered by a single shop or simultaneously produced by several shops, both before and after the American Revolution. All four knee brackets and corner blocks have been replaced.

Thomas S. Michie

Excerpted from Clement E. Conger, et al. Treasures of State: Fine and Decorative Arts in the Diplomatic Reception Rooms of the U.S. Department of State. New York: H.N. Abrams, 1991.