A Chippendale Mahogany Side Chair

c. 1785

ONE OF FOUR AMERICAN CHIPPENDALE MAHOGANY SIDE CHAIRS (Newport, c.1785) attributed to John Townsend (1732-1809). The chair has a shaped crest rail centered on a fan-shape carving incised with cross-hatching and flanked by grooved ears, above an open back centered on a pierced and scrolled splat decorated with beading. The slip seat is raised on four square legs, the front legs with stop fluting on two sides, the rear legs splayed at the bottom, joined by H-shape stretchers and a single rear stretcher. The four chairs in this set are PSNC.1712.1a-b, PSNC.1712.2a-b, PSNC.1712.3a-b, and PSNC.1712.4a-b. Both this chair and PSNC.1712.3a-b have their slip seats covered in a modern red cotton fabric.

American, Newport

Mahogany

38" x 20 3/4" x 16 1/2"

Purchased by The Preservation Society of Newport County, 1968.

PSNC.1712.4a-b