Label Type
Object LabelLabel
Side chair, 1795-1810
coastal New England, Boston, Salem, or possibly Portsmouth
mahogany, birch veneers, maple secondary wood
John S. Locke collection; gift of the estate of Almira Locke McArthur
Label Type
Cultural/Historical ContextLabel
This side chair is the best-preserved of the three identical chairs that descended in the family of Almira Cleaves Dummer to the donor. While all three chairs retain their original under-upholstery, this particular chair is in untouched condition and still conveys a strong sense of its initial elegance and sophistication through the retention of the horsehair show cover and the brass nails arranged in a decorative swag pattern along the front and side seat rails.
The long mane and tail hairs of horses were woven on a linen, cotton, or wool warp in plain weave or more elaborate patterns as well as dyed colors. George Hepplewhite’s The Cabinet-Maker and Upholster’s Guide which was published in three posthumous editions in 1788, 1789, and 1794, suggests that “Mahogany chairs should have the seats of horse hair, plain, striped, chequered, &c. at pleasure.” Both the satin stripes of the fabric and the shiny brass nail heads would have reflected light from whatever sources were available, enlivening the appearance of the chair.
The pointed arches with molded surfaces and carved leaves draw direct inspiration from the gothic taste and are reminiscent of columns supporting the great Gothic cathedrals of Europe. The inlaid tablet, probably of flame birch, on the crest rail as well as the similar inlaid squares at the top and the bottom of the back rails are fully enclosed with a complex pattern of tiny inlaid rectangles of light and dark woods. All of these elements, including the tapered and molded front legs, were choices that the consumer could make when ordering furniture. Starting with a basic chair, each additional decorative element, as well as the selection of wood from which the chair was to be made, and the choice of seating materials, added to the overall cost.