Chair

Object/Artifact

-

Historic Charleston Foundation

Name/Title

Chair

Entry/Object ID

2003.001.002

Tags

Needs new photography, Needs review

Description

FOR IMAGE: REFER TO 2003.001.001 One of a pair of classical carved mahogany lyre-back side chairs. Attributed to Duncan Phyfe, New York, 1815-1825. The bowed tablet crest above a lyre-form splat and trapezoidal slipseat, on waterleaf-carved sabre legs with hairy paw feet. From Christie's Lot Notes: "Reflecting the young United States democratic ideals, the furniture of the early 19th century was inspired by classical Greco-Roman motifs. The lyre-back chairs offered here, with their reeded stiles and seat rails miming the Greek klismos and their natural legs and backwards-flowing fur reflecting a Roman style, are a paradigm of this trend. Although other craftsmen were producing similar chairs during this period, the high quality of carving of these chairs indicate the work of Duncan Phyfe. A sketch attributed to Phyfe that was attached to a bill dated 1816 to Charles N. Bancker of Philadelphia illustrates the earliest American design of a lyre-back chair with tablet. Additional support of the Phyfe attribution can be found in the 1816-1817 watercolor painted by John Ruben Smith, where two women in Duncan Phyfes New York City shop and warehouse admire two lyre-back chairs such as these." Owned by Nathaniel Russell Middleton and descended to his daughter Miss Alicia Hopton Middleton of Hey Bonnie Hall, Bristol, Rhode Island.

Collection

Historic Charleston Foundation Collection

Acquisition

Accession

2003.001.

Source or Donor

Purchase

Acquisition Method

Purchased

Credit Line

Museum Acquisitions Funds

Made/Created

Artist

Phyfe, Duncan, 1768-1854

Date made

1815 - 1825

Place

Location

New York

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Chair

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Seating Furniture

Nomenclature Class

Furniture

Nomenclature Category

Category 02: Furnishings

Search Terms

Chairs, Furniture

Other Name

Side Chair

Dimensions

Height

32-3/4 in

Width

20 in

Depth

18 in

Length

23-1/4 in

Material

Mahogany, Gilding

Location

Location

Room

203

Building

Nathaniel Russell House

Category

Permanent

Date

February 7, 2023

Location

Room

203

Building

Nathaniel Russell House

Category

Permanent

Condition

Notes

gilding was restored/touched-up by Alan Andersen

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Middleton, Alicia Hopton

Person or Organization

Middleton, Nathaniel Russell

Related Entries

Notes

2002.002.003, 2002.002.004, 2003.001.001, L.2002.001.001

Related Publications

Notes

"Life in Carolina and New England" opposite pg. 98, Hey Bonnie Hall Drawing Room Pair of lyre-back chiars with hairy-paws and two small seascape paintings on the mantle.

Provenance

Notes

Last Owner: Miss Alicia Hopton Middleton of Hey Bonnie Hall, Bristol, Rhodes Island Nathaniel Russell Middleton, to his daughter Miss Alicia Hopton Middleton of Hey Bonnie Hall, Bristol, Rhode Island, then given to Mark A. DeWolf. Purchased at Christie's Auction House, New York, January 16-17, 2003 sale #1189, Lot Number 494. Provenance, Israel Sack, Inc., New York City.

General Notes

Note

Notes: High quality digital photograph taken by Rick Rhodes, on CD as TIF file, 300 pixels. Auction Notes, "Maine Antique Digest" March 2003. See file, "Pair of Classical carved mahogany lyre-back side chairs attributed to Duncan Phyfe, New York, 1815-25, with an Isreal Sack provenance, $19,120 (est. $20,000/40,000).

Created By

admin@catalogit.app

Create Date

April 22, 2003

Updated By

mooreks@wofford.edu

Update Date

January 14, 2025