Pair of American Windsor Yellow Painted Side Chairs, Massachusetts, circa 1826

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Pair of American Windsor Yellow Painted Side Chairs, Massachusetts, circa 1826

About the Item

PAIR OF AMERICAN WINDSOR YELLOW PAINTED SIDE CHAIRS "Rounded Tablet Top" Banister Back Form Massachusetts, probably Worcester County c. 1826 Item # 130010DXN26 This is a somewhat rare pair of American Windsor chairs from the first quarter of the 19th Century. Usually termed a "Banister-Back", it has a highly isolated regional characteristic in it's "Rounded-Tablet" top - one example of such a chair is available in American Windsor Chairs (Nancy Goyne Evans, p. 497 f. 7-65 - also, similar back formation p. 494 f. 7-62), depicting a chair branded by Jonathan Whitney of Templeton, Massachusetts c. 1828-35. The term "rounded top" was employed in business accounts of Luke Houghton, a windsor chairmaker also from Worcester County, Massachusetts, describing what continued to be a somewhat limited design from 1825-40. These chairs were almost without exception crafted with either four or five spindles. The present example retains a very early painted surface, the original surface seemingly preserved at least in part beneath the later yellow paint. It is difficult to thoroughly examine all wood elements, but from a close visual inspection it would appear all elements are maple except for the plank seat, a single solid board of wonderfully shaped white pine with a lovely nut-brown oxidization to the underside. The painted tablet is floral in nature, the paint heavily oxidized to hide the fine garden beneath. The spindles and stiles have a soft backward slope, making the seat supportive and comfortable - the turned stiles flatten on the face, while the spindles swell in a robust turned ball before tapering sharply along the back and into the crest rail. The seat is incised along the back edge with a shallow channel, this coupled with black painted lines that serve to accentuate the shield-form of the scooped plank. Over somewhat simple legs, they borrow an almost ovular shape, swelling and shrinking to almost obtain the same diameter at the foot as they are at the seat; remnants of the popular "bamboo" turning style is evident with each leg divided into three scratched-bead quadrants, this continued in the box-stretcher spindles. Both seats are signed illegibly on the underside - however, it seems somewhat clear that the first letters of both words are "W.." and "W........." - one is signed in graphite [possibly "W. Well...." or "W Will..."] and dated 1826 - the other is signed in chalk illegibly. For serious collectors of antique American Windsor furniture, this eclectic and deeply patinated pair are an absolute treasure. Deep in character and of very attractive form, this is a pair of antique chairs that will bring great richness the overall atmosphere of whatever room they become a part of. Measurements: 17" wide [toe to toe] x 16" deep [toe to toe] x 33" high; 17" high to the seat Condition Report: Heavily worn painted surface, early - however, it is almost certainly the second surface, with hints of an earlier yellow wash beneath. Sturdy and strong. Signed illegibly and dated 1826 in graphite under one, signed illegibly in chalk under the other. Legs appear to have been re-glued at one point.

Dimensions:
Height: 33 in (83.82 cm)Width: 17 in (43.18 cm)Depth: 16 in (40.64 cm)Seat Height: 17 in (43.18 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 2
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
1820-1829
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1826
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Worn surfaces, see condition notes.
Seller Location:
Shippensburg, PA
Reference Number:
Seller: 130010DXN261stDibs: LU105902316832