Sackback Windsor chair claimed to be used in both Lancaster and Philadelphia in PA legislature.
Brass plaque on seat reads:
HAND MADE WINDSOR ELBOW CHAIRS / CIRCA 1750 / USED IN / LANCASTER AND PHILADELPHIA PA / BY MEMBERS OF THE / CONTINENTAL CONGRESS / AND / PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATURE / 1776 TO 1812 / PRESENTED BY HENRY SLAUGH / OCTOBER 12, 1961
This Windsor chair served members of the Continental Congress on September 27,1777, when Congress met for session in the original Courthouse on Lancaster's Center Square. It also served the Pennsylvania government from that same month until June 1778 during the British occupation of the City of Philadelphia. In 1784 when undergoing remodeling, a fire broke out destroying much of the building. Fortunately, many records and furnishings, including this chair, were recovered. Once rebuilt, the 'new' courthouse and this Windsor chair again served the state government from 1799 to 1812 when Lancaster was the capitol of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
One of a pair of Empire side chairs (with 2013.008.22) with yellow upholstered seat and cherry wood frame. Elements of entire frame are flat with rounded fronts. Back uprights have slight cyma curve, surmounted by a long, wide concave tablet. Tablet has low relief foliate carved ends while most of face is covered with a panel of mahogany veneer. Tablet extends beyond back uprights. Horizontal splat at center of back is pierced carved with a central rectangle flanked by half-moon carved shells, and is then supported by paired, loosely scrolled lyre-like "legs" that attach to chair posts. Trapezoid slip seat upholstered in an ivory cotton brocade. Front legs have a slight cyma curve.
Louis XV Balloon-back side chair with rosewood frame and yellow upholdered seat. Chair frame has fruit and leaf carved crest and horizontal molded splat with a central carved shell motif. Continuously curved and rounded top rail curves seamlessly into uprights, forming an unbroken balloon-shaped loop transitioning into back-curving rear legs. Short, curved, bracket-like arms connect back to seat. Flaring seat has serpentine front and cyma-curved sides with over-the-rail upholstery. The lower half of seat rail is exposed with serpentine curve at front. Cabriole front legs have peg feet.
Provenance
Descent within James Buchanan Henry family to donors.
Gift of the family of Eleanor N. Henry (John D. McNeill Jr., Mary Catherine West, James Buchanan Henry IV, and Elizabeth Henry Rich).
2015 re-upholstery. Expected wear to wood. Old repairs to breaks at shoulders of balloon back and upper section of crest rail. Underneath seat rails are old tack holes from previous upholstery that apparently covered entire seat frame.
Object ID
E.2013.008.26
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Empire side chair of rosewood with upholstered seat. Frame of open back is snake-like with both chair posts rising to rounded shoulders and tapering to curled ends, each holding a rosette. Held between these curled chair posts is a center curl with tapered ends. An open splat at center of back is a flat harp shape resting on two S-scroll "legs" that connect to uprights.
Seat has over-the-rail gray-tan upholstery on a seat with inverted shield shape and serpentine front. Front legs have tapering cyma-curve shape and large carved rosettes on knees; back legs are square and canted.
Provenance
Descent within James Buchanan Henry family to donors.
Family of Eleanor N. Henry (John D. McNeill Jr., Mary Catherine West, James Buchanan Henry IV, and Elizabeth Henry Rich).
