Side chair (one of a pair)

1750-1785

Measurements

38-1/2 in x 21 in x 19-1/2 in

Materials

Walnut; hard pine (slip seat)

Credit Line

Historic Odessa Foundation, gift of H. Rodney Sharp

Accession Number

1958.3206

Inscription

“II” is chiseled into the front seat rail rabbet of 1958.3206.1; the slip seat for that chair is marked “II” as well.  Chair 1958.3206.2 is marked “I” in the seat rabbet and “IIII” on the slip seat.

Condition Notes

All of the corner blocks inside the seat frame are replacements.  The right ear of the splat has split along the grain and has been glued.

Provenance

Ex coll. H. Rodney Sharp

Comments

This chair, one of a pair (1958.3206.1 was photographed), conforms to the designs of simpler Philadelphia chairs in many respects, notably the splat shape, the cabriole legs ending in trifid feet, side seat rails tenoned through the rear stiles, rear legs with chamfered edges rendering them octagonal in cross-section, and a scratch-bead around the outside edge of the chair back.  The opposed ogee undercutting of the front rail was replaced in time by a straight line. The high dome in the center of the crest rail lacks a relief-carved shell, indicating that this chair was a cheaper version.  Also lacking, the seat rails do not have a molding cut into the top edge.