Images(2)

Masonic armchair

Date1790-1812

OriginAmerica, Virginia or Scotland

MediumBirch, white pine (glue blocks & slipseat)

DimensionsOH: 38 ¾"; OW: 26 ½"; OD: 21 ½"; SD: 19"

Credit LineGift of Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Ohrstrom

Object number2008-92

DescriptionDESCRIPTION: Armchair with straight tapered legs, side, medial, and rear stretchers, curved arms ending in knuckled volutes, arm supports nailed to seat rails from inside rails, square back with splat composed of Masonic imagery: fluted columns with stepped bases and capitals between the crest and stay rails, carved carved fan on center of stay rail supporting a square and compass, arch above crest rail connecting points above tops of collumns; brass plaque applied to center of crest rail engraved "A Present/ from St. Andrews Lodge N.171 to Brother Wm/ Begg 1812"; trapezoidal slipseat with original webbing and bottom linen; quarter-round two-part vertical glue blocks in corners of seat frame.
CONSTRUCTION: The shoe consists of a long narrow board, beaded on the front and back edges, and glued to the top of the rear seat rail of birch. The upper joints of each front leg are reinforced with two overlapping vertically grained blocks that are rounded on the interior edge. The block that reinforces the joints of the rails to each leg consists of a single piece of vertically grained wood that is rounded on its interior edge.
Label TextInscription on furniture often help identify where a piece might have been made or used. This armchair with Masonic imagery of a square and compass and two columns had a brass placque stating "A Present/ from St. Andrews Lodge N.171 to Brother Wm/ Begg 1812." St. Andrews Lodge no. 171 was located in Girvan, Ayrshire, Scotland until it folded around 1810 or 1815. One wonders if the chair had been used by that lodge until 1812 and was given to a member at that time as the lodge was disbanding or if the chair was a present to one of the lodge members at that time. Becuase the chair was recovered in southeast Virginia in the late 20th century, it is possible that a member of the Begg family immigrated to America in the 19th century.
Inscribed"A Present/ from St. Andrews Lodge N.171 to Brother Wm/ Begg 1812" engraved on brass plaque applied to center of crest rail.
ProvenanceDonor obtained the chair in Southside Virginia during the late 20th century.