Side chair, pierced splat back

Dateca. 1780

MediumMahogany, yellow pine, linen, curled hair

DimensionsOH; 39 3/4"; OW: 20 1/2"; OD: 17 1/4"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase, The Antique Collectors' Guild & individual members Mrs. Cabell Mayo Tabb and Mr. & Mrs. Thomas L. Disharoon

Object number1998-157,A

DescriptionAppearance: Walnut side chair with strongly serpentine crest rail and out flaring ears; straight sided, tapered splat with three vertical piercings bisected at center of splat, tenoned into molded shoe; straight seat rails with molded top edges and integral returns at bottom ends; straight square legs, rear legs kick towards rear; solid brackets glued beneath seat rails at front and sides of front legs; front legs molded on front corners and chamfered on inner corners; trapezoidal yellow pine slip seat with original under upholstery (webbing, bottom linen, curled hair stuffing, and top linen).

Construction: The side seat rails are through tenoned and double pegged to the rear stiles and tenoned and double pegged to the front legs. These side rail pegs square and tapered, and extend about 1” past the legs and stiles. The back rail is tenoned and double through pegged to the stiles and the front seat rail is tenoned and double through pegged to the front legs. The front and side rails are rabbeted 3/4” to hold the slip-seat frame, shaped with a bead on the upper edge and shaped on the lower edge to form integral returns which on the front legs join glued and nailed solid brackets. The front legs are chamfered on the inside corner and beaded on the outside corner.

The half-round stiles are integral with the splayed rear legs and are tenoned into the crest rail. The pierced splat is tenoned into the crest rail and into the shoe which is in turn glued and nailed to the rear rail.

Yellow pine slip seat frame has pegged mortise and tenon joints. Webbing and linen are nailed to the frame with rosehead nails.
Label TextWhile many chairs made in the Georgetown/ Washington DC area closely mirror Philadelphia furniture-making traditions, this chair also reveals the strong regional influence of British customs. While the shapely crest rail, wide seat rails, and through-tenoned joinery where the side seat rails join the rear stile suggest Philadelphia influences, the pierced splat and overall neat and plain facade suggest the stylistic influence of local furniture-making traditions of the many British immigrant craftsmen in the region and the artisans they trained.
ProvenanceAccording to source, the chair was found in Georgetown, D.C.