Carved and Parcel Gilt Neoclassical Recamier from a design by Thomas Sheraton

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Carved and Parcel Gilt Neoclassical Recamier from a design by Thomas Sheraton

About the Item

Of fine American parlor furniture of the early nineteenth-century, the recamier was among the most elegant. The original design of this exquisitely carved sofa derives from Thomas Sheraton’s Cabinet Dictionary of 1803. The work included three related “Grecian” examples: the couch (pl. 49), squab (pl. 50), and sofa (pl. 73). This piece—with its intricate carving, restrained gilding, and elegant modeling—is one of great sophistication. Here, the scrolled lines of the classical sofa have been translated into symbols appropriate for the aggressive and self-assured young Republic. It consists of an s-scrolled headboard with sides in the forms of eagle heads and wings, continuing on to a reeded rail ending in a c-scrolled footboard also composed of eagle heads and wings. The whole rests on four scrolled acanthus-carved feet. Based on the rare aquiline motif, the piece is most likely of East Coast manufacture—possibly New York, Philadelphia, or Baltimore. The present piece is one of a small number of closely related examples. A fine example was in the collection of Bayou Bend, Houston (accession no. B.68.12); now deaccessioned, its whereabouts are currently unknown. A second example came up for sale at Christie’s New York (2 June 1983, lot. 190). Another was recently offered at Christie’s New York (8 December 2011, lot 307); this is possibly the Bayou Bend piece. With woods native to North America, these pieces have been identified as American, specifically, Baltimore, Philadelphia, or New York. The sofa from the 1983 sale is of American pine, while that from the 2011 sale is of birch. The use of birch in the construction of the present piece strongly argues for an American origin. In addition, British scholars have ruled out the possibility of a European origin for this rare-to-market piece.

Creator:
Thomas Sheraton (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 36 in (91.44 cm)Width: 90 in (228.6 cm)Depth: 25 in (63.5 cm)
Style:
Neoclassical (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Birch
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
c. 1820
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Kensington, MD
Reference Number:
Seller: 00151stDibs: LU9776801057