US House of Representatives Armchair

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US House of Representatives Armchair

About the Item

Important carved oak upholstered armchair Made for the United States House of Representatives Bembe & Kimbel (active 1850-1870), After Thomas U. Walter New York, circa 1857 The bowed crest rail centering a carved United States shield with three stars nestled in carved oak and laurel leaves above an upholstered back held by elaborately foliate-carved styles continuing to padded arm rests with scrolled hand rests. The upholstered slip-seat above a seat rail with guilloche-pattern carving on massive, turned and lotus-carved legs. H: 39" W: 23½" D: 23" Condition: Excellent: Surface cleaned and re-polished. Later leather upholstery, lacking casters. Two hundred and sixty-two oak desks and chairs were made for the U.S. capitol in 1857, designed by Thomas Ustick Walter (1804-1887), the architect of the Capitol Building. Half the chairs were made by the firm of Bembe & Kimbel, located at 928 Broadway, New York City. The other half were made by the Desk Manufacturing Company of Philadelphia, according to the website of the US House of Representatives. The chairs were used in the House for only two years and many were auctioned off in 1859. One was acquired by photographer Matthew Brady as a studio prop. He famously photographed President Abraham Lincoln sitting in it. The Walter-designed desks and some of the chairs remained in use until 1873. The "Design for chairs of the Halls of Congress" by Walter is in the Library of Congress. The oak and laurel branches represented on the crest rail around the stars and stripes shield symbolize longevity and victory.

Attributed to:
Bembe & Kimball (Cabinetmaker)
Dimensions:
Height: 39 in (99.06 cm)Width: 23.5 in (59.69 cm)Depth: 23 in (58.42 cm)
Style:
Renaissance Revival (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Oak,Carved
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
1850-1859
Date of Manufacture:
1857
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
New York, NY
Reference Number:
Seller: S-A-GEB-1831091stDibs: LU1356212068893