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Photo: Courtesy Bonham's, New York
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Side chairs, an assembled pair

Object number

RIF4698

Maker

Maker Unknown

Dimensions

First chair: Height: 38 1/4 in. (97.155 cm) Width: 21 in. (53.34 cm) Height, seat: 16 in. (40.64 cm) Second chair: Height: 38 1/4 in. (97.155 cm) Width: 21 3/4 in. (55.245 cm) Height, seat: 16 3/4 in. (42.545 cm)

Date

1790–1810

Current location

Unknown

Geography

Made in Connecticut, or made in Rhode Island
(view a map of Rhode Island)

Medium

Chair marked "V" on rear seat rail: mahogany (primary); pine (slip seat and corner blocks). Chair marked "VI" on rear seat rail :mahogany (primary); pine (corner blocks); maple (rear seat rail; yellow poplar (slip seat)

Marks

None

Inscriptions

"V," incised, on one rear rail;"VIII," incised, on slip seat of chair marked "V"; "VI,"incised on the other rear rail

Style

Hepplewhite, Federal

Provenance

Bonhams, New York, January 27, 2010, lot 1154

Associated names

Bonhams

Construction

Each chair has a flat-fronted, round-backed beaded-edge serpentine crest, tenoned to its similarly configured stiles without wood pins. The stiles are square from just above the seat rails down, with chamfered inside corners. The seat rails are tenoned to their respective neighboring members without wood pins. The thumbmolded front and side rails are rabbeted to receive a slip seat. Vertical glue blocks occupy each corner of the seat frames: the chair with tapered front legs has quarter round corner blocks with additional, flush blocks at the rear rail; the chair with straight front legs has chamfered corner blocks with additional blocks extending across the rear seat rail. Each openwork, rosette and urn-carved splat is tenoned to the bottom of the crest rail and the top of the one-piece molded shoe, which is nailed to the rear rail and slightly overhangs the seat frame. The rectangular rear and side stretchers are set flush with the outside faces of the legs to which they are tenoned, without wood pins. The rectangular medial stretchers meet the side stretchers in half-blind, half-dovetail joints. Examined by P.E. Kane, January 27, 2010; notes compiled by T.B. Lloyd.

See also

Bibliography

Bonhams, New York, American Furniture and Decorative Arts, sale cat. (January 27, 2010), 63, lot 1154, ill.