Today we will start to examine the chair to consider factors that may date it. Here is the blog chair placed on top of the chair from the plate (sketch) of the chair in Chippendale’s Director that most closely resembles it.
Top:Photo of Ribbon Back Chair (shs)
Bottom:Center chair in Plate XV in TG&CMD
Examine the two chairs and start counting the semblances between them.
On both objects:
- The center crest of the top rails rise to a peak.
-Away from the peak they curve downward and up again into “ears”, at the corner where the top rail meet the side stiles.
- On the lower side of the top rail stylized open shells (nature based) are carved.
- At the top center of the splat is a cartouche framed with mirrored “C” scrolls and topped with shells. The shell is a reference to the grotto, a popular 18th century fascination. (8)
- Framing the cartouche are mirrored “C” scrolls.
- The center splat (center section of the back that extends from the shoe to the top rail) of both chairs are pierced (cut through) numerous times.
- A distinct ribbon is carved in the center of the splat of both chairs.
- A carved rope extends out of the center of the cartouche down to the middle of the ribbon and its knot.
- Two “C” scrolls uphold the ribbon's bottom, flanking its sides
- Inside the longer scrolls are a shorter pair of “C” scrolls that are hooked into the bottom loop of the ribbon and extend into the top of the final ornament of the style; two “C” scrolls wrapped in stylized shells.
-the overall form of the legs is an “S” curve onto which are applied a series of “C” scrolls
- The knees of the legs are heavily carved
-A reverse “C” scroll extends up from the knees at the corner into the seat frame, thus the straight line of the bottom of the seat is visually interrupted.
- The cabriole legs end in a tightly rolled scroll foot.
I have listed fourteen similarities between the two chairs. See if you can find any that I have missed and post them. In the next blog I will approach the differences so please don’t go there.
One could say that the evidence is leaning toward the chair being a true 18th century item. But it is too early in the game to tell!
Watch out for those curves!
Theresa
Yummy Furniture and Design
theresamhs@sbcglobal.net
Footnote
8. Bekerdite, Luke. American Furniture 1996, The Rococo, the Grotto and the Philadelphia high Chest, University Press of New England, Hanover. 112
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