Name/Title
Chair, Armchair: Lieutenant-Colonel John ByEntry/Object ID
E122 a,bDescription
[a]: One wooden Regency-style carved and upholstered armchair complete with padded arms, "Japanning" black varnish, gilded details and braided piping. Chair has saber-shaped, square tapering legs terminating with brass ferrules and small brass wheels on each. Carved ornamentation is simple, in keeping with the Regency style, featuring scrolls, simple floral designs and squares, all highlighted in gold. Fully upholstered and padded square seat and back which curves backward at the top and partially
padded arms feature gold and green-gold embossed fabric with a repeating floral and leaf pattern. Seat back and arms are edged by gold braided piping. Originally owned by Lieutenant-Colonel John By, Royal Engineers. [b]: One wooden Regency-style carved and upholstered armchair complete with padded arms, "Japanning" black varnish, gilded details and braided piping. Chair has saber-shaped, square tapering legs terminating with brass ferrules and small brass wheels on each. Carved ornamentation is simple, in keeping with the Regency style, featuring scrolls, simple floral designs and squares, all highlighted in gold. Fully upholstered and padded square seat and back which curves backward at the top and
partially
padded arms feature gold and green-gold embossed fabric with a repeating floral and leaf pattern. Seat back and arms are edged by gold braided piping. Originally owned by Lieutenant-Colonel John By, Royal Engineers.Made/Created
Date made
1820Notes
Quantity produced: 2
Additional create date: 1820Inscription/Signature/Marks
Notes
[a]: Illegible circular stamp under front of rear right leg.Transcription
"A"Notes
[a]: Stamped into the frame on the back of the seat underside of the frame.Lexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Secondary Object Term
ArmchairNomenclature Primary Object Term
ChairNomenclature Sub-Class
Seating FurnitureNomenclature Class
FurnitureNomenclature Category
Category 02: FurnishingsSearch Terms
Chair, Lieutenant-Colonel John By, Chair, Lieutenant-Colonel John By, FurnishingsLegacy Lexicon
Object Name
Chair, ArmchairDimensions
Height
90 cmWidth
59.5 cmDepth
83 cmDimension Notes
[b]: Width 57 cm, Height 89.5 cm, Depth 70 cmMaterial
Wood, Fabric, Brass, paint, varnishResearch Notes
Notes
Reference: [object Object]
These elegant chairs were among the furniture Lt. Colonel John By (1779-1836) kept in his home, formerly located in Major's Hill Park, Ottawa. By's house was built in 1827, and destroyed by fire in 1849. In the mainstream of Regency taste, these chairs bear stylistic resemblance to plates from Household Furniture and Interior Decoration, published in London, England, in 1807 by furniture designer Thomas Hope (1769-1831). This resemblance is most noticeable in the square-sectioned saber-shaped legs
that taper elegantly to the ground and define the chairs' striking silhouettes. The ornamental details carved into the wood's surface are simple in design and highlighted with gilding, which are hallmarks of Regency; a neoclassic style inspired by antique Greek and Roman design. The handsome dark finish consists of layers of varnish applied over carved wood, often referred to as "Japanning". It imitated the patina on lacquered furniture imported from Asia that was fashionable in England
and North America. These chairs were likely made by an English craftsman and imported to Canada. Upon his departure for England in 1832, Lt. Col. By left these chairs in the care of James Fitzgibbon who was employed at Bytown as master carpenter and overseer of works on the Rideau Canal. Eva Gertrude Read, Fitzgibbon's niece, donated them to the Women's Canadian Historical Society of Ottawa.