Images(3)

Windsor armchair

Date1797

Artist/Maker John DeWitt

Artist/Maker William W. Galatian

OriginAmerica, New York, New York City

MediumTulip poplar, maple, oak or hickory.

DimensionsOH: 35 1/4"; OW of seat front: 16 3/4"; OD if seat center:17 1/4"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1972-466,1

DescriptionWindsor armchair; continuous bow, inner and outer ridge on face tapers off at curve to flat arm which flares at end; two spindles, arm support beneath each arm extends through rail. Back has nine spindles, two on each end do not penetrate through rail, other 5 do; roughly shaped, thick seat; deep ridge at top rear extending along sides to break; four baluster legs extend through seat; baluster-turned stretchers; originally upholstered. (Part of set of 2 armchairs and 3 side chairs).

Woods: Seat, tulip; arm supports, legs & stretchers: maple; bow, spindles: oak or hickory.
Label TextWhile the majority of Windsor chair were made entirely of wood, some had upholstered seats. This example from a set of chairs made by the Windsor chair maker John DeWitt was upholstered and labeled by a New York upholsterer, William W Galatian. The seat was left with a blocky front edge, not typically seen in Windsor chairs, in order to provide a surface to support the upholstery stuffing and to nail the fabrics to. Some depictions of upholstered Windsors illutrate them with fringe across the front of the seat.
MarkingsLabels or remnants thereof beneath each seat.
#1) Remnants of label, outline and paper corners all that are visible. Tack and holes of a second label horizontally over it; also now gone.
#2) Label beneath seat, complete, yellowed, 4 tack holes in it. Tear on right side through margin. Glued on. 3 1/4" x 4" "JOHN DE WITT"/Windsor Chair Maker/No. 47, Water-Street near/Coenties Slip, New York."
#3) Remnants of DeWitt label, mostly lower middle, very bad condition, tacks, fragments of Galatian label over it.
#4) Label beneath seat. Same label as #2, badly discolored, needs treatment. Wording only partially visible. Looks like other label (Galatian's) was tacked over it; nails and remnants of this still in place.
#5) Galatian label (4 5/8" x 3") nailed over glued DeWitt label, only partially visible beneath. Label partly broken off and missing on edges, nailed with six nails: "WILLIAM W. GALATIAN,/ Upholsterer & Paper-Hanger/ No. 10, WALL-STREET, NEW-YORK./ INFORMS his friends and the public in general that he carries on/ the above BUISNESS in all its branches on the most reasonable/ terms: Those Ladies and Gentlemen who favor him with their em-/ ploy may depend upon their work being done with neatness and dis-/ patch ---Vessels supplied with MATRASSES, and orders from the/ country carefully attended to./ MAY, 1797”
ProvenanceAccording to source, they are believed to have been made for Killian K. Van Rensselaer of Claverack, New York (1763-1845) and Margarita Sanders, daughter of John I.

Exhibition(s)