Chair

Object Name:

Chair

Object ID:

1933.001.07

Place of Origin:

Baltimore, MD or Washington, DC

Date:

circa 1830

Description:

Side Chair. Maple. Raked back having bowed, rectangular crest rail extending at sides beyond juncture with baluster-and-ring-turned stiles; narrower horizontal rail framed between stiles halfway between crest and seat. Cane seat with exposed, rectangular seat frame; second set of side seat rails applied to outer edge of frame; each outer rail forming elbow at rear joining stiles of back 2.75" above seat. Tapering cylindrical front legs with ring turnings near top; broad, flat ring turning at tops of tapering feet. Turned cylindrical rear legs tapering at ends and raking back sharply. Legs tenoned into inner seat frame. Flat, rectangular front stretcher. Turned and tapering rear stretcher with similar one at each side. Painted black with rosewood graining, yellow striping and gold banding. stencilled, gilt decoration on faces of crest and lower horizontal rails and of front stretcher; main design elements being the anthemion, cornucopia and scroll. Adhesive tape label on bottom of seat frame with loan information. Evidence of chalk inscription on bottom of seat frame, apparently reading "BRADLEY". Second chalk inscription, seems to read "HILL". Two breaks in cane seat. Left stile of back shows evidence on rear of either damage or imperfection. One of a pair.

Material:

Wood
Grass

Dimensions:

H-30.75 W-18.5 D-20.875 inches

Provenance:

Chair acquired by donor from the Bradley house in Concord, NH. One of a pair, said to have belonged to Isaac Hill (1789-1851), Concord, NH printer and New Hampshire governor, 1836-1840. Hill was in Washington, DC, 1829-1836, serving in the Treasury and Senate. Donor was descended from the sister of Hill's wife.

Credit Line:

Gift of Margaret H. Jewell

People:

Hill, Isaac (1789-1851), Hill, Susan A. (1789-1880), Bradley