Rocking chair in the Pennsylvania Dutch style with wide, boldly rounded hoop back and wide vase-shaped splat. The arms are downcurved, about two inches wide, and terminate in large convex scrolls. The arms are supported by short, simply turned arm stumps. The solid wood seat is one to two inches thick, rolled at front and upcurved at rear. The seat is supported by four short turned legs mounted on rockers about 28 inches long. These are braced front and rear by single turned stretchers. Body coat of brown is overlaid with clusters of fruit on back top rail, splat and front of seat in polychrome colors and is striped in gilt.
water spotting cleaned by conservator in early months of 2020 following a water leak inside the bedchamber caused by contractor error during roof restoration project.
Windsor-back rocking chair. The comb-shaped crest has gold painted trim and hand-painted floral, fruit and nut designs. The slab seat also has a hand-painted gilt outline. The two front legs have gilded turnings along with the front stretcher. The two back legs are canted into the rockers and are plain and round with a thin round plain stretcher. Dark wood. Six thin back rails.
Walnut rocking chair has caned back and seat. Frame of oval back is finger-molded and is connected to seat frame by two curving legs. Cyma-curve short, low arms connect oval back to seat, with foliate carving at top end. Seat frame is a rounded "D" shape with round outside edge. Ring-turned legs are all connected by a baluster-turned stretcher and sit on rockers with front ends barely extending beyond the front legs.
Chair's green paint was striped in 1976. Unknown if paint was original.
Object ID
W.1974.028.001
Notes
Original accession number W.35.28, would lead one to believe the James Buchanan Foundation obtained the chair in 1935; however, teh file holds letters written by the donor, Mr. Russel, that are dated 1974. The Accession Record is, therefore, inaccurate.
Research required to authenticate object connection with Elizabeth Speer Buchanan. The donor's 14 May 1974 letter states that the chair "came from the home of James Buchanan. When his Mother died at Cove Gap, PA." It should be noted that primary sources indicate that Elizabeth Speer Buchanan died on 14 May 1833 at 9:00 AM at the home of her daughter in Greensburg, PA.
Upholstered rocking chair. Black upholstery with button design. Serpentine shape at back support. Arm rest cushions upholstered. Fancy S-scroll wood, cut design, where arms join to front of seat. Seat thick. Slight serpentine front skirt has foliate scroll
Provenance
James Buchanan
Clarence and Ella Myers of York, PA
Mr. and Mrs. John F. Rauhauser, Jr.
The Myers told their granddaughter Jean Bruns that the chair originally belonged to President James Buchanan
