Norwich or East Hartford, Connecticut
A nearly identical side chair at Winterthur is illustrated and discussed in Nancy E. Richards and Nancy Goyne Evans, New England Furniture at Winterthur, Queen Anne and Chippendale Periods (Winterthur, 1997), pp. 39-40: “The precise eastern Connecticut origin of straight-backed (canted), spurred splat compass-bottom chairs with chamfered rear legs and three turned outside stretchers is yet to be resolved. A strong tradition of furniture making existed in Norwich, the cultural and commercial center of New London County and vicinity. Features of this chair that link it to Norwich seating furniture include the chamfered rear legs, three stretcher brace, and angular sweep of the front feet. Gov. John Pitkin (1694-1769), who owned an armchair of this pattern, was a resident of East Hartford, although he had strong political connections and support from New London County, and his deputy governor was a county resident. Several side chairs also have firm East Hartford history. Because maritime and overland commerce between Norwich and East Hartford was well established and subtle variations within the pattern indicate more than one shop was responsible for production, it is possible that chairs of this description were made in both Norwich and East Hartford”
Item Date: Circa 1740-1770
Measurement: Height: 40.25"; Seat Height: 18.75"; Width: 21.75"; Depth: 17"
Material: Cherry
Item Condition: Superb condition, fine old finish
Literature: see American Antiques from Israel Sack Collection, Volume IV (Alexandria, VA, 1974, p. 920; David B. Warren, Bayou Bend, American Furniture, Paintings and Silver from the Bayou Bend Collection (Houston, 1975), p. 24; Advertisement for David A. Schorsch, The Magazine Antiques, November 1987, p. 912; David B. Warren, Michael K. Brown, Elizabeth Ann Coleman, and Emily Ballew Neff, American Decorative Arts and Paintings in the Bayou Bend Collection (Houston, TX, 1998), pp. 24-25, and Jason T. Busch, “Americana in Minnesota,” Antiques & Fine Art, Autumn/Winter 2005, p. 177.
SOLD
SKU 210-336
For More Information, Please Contact David Hillier at 978-597-8084 or email drh@aaawt.com.
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