Easy chair

Unknown

1755–90 · Walnut, white oak, white pine, tulip poplar · The American Wing

An easy chair was the product of two different craftsmen. The chair maker built the wood armature that determined the chair’s basic outline, while the upholsterer determined its ultimate shape. Although the C-scroll arms are typical of Philadelphia work, this chair was produced in New York City. The secondary woods are common in New York–made furniture, as are the square rear legs and the method of joining the seat rails to the front legs. In addition, the claw-and-ball feet, distinguished by a squashed ball with narrow, downward-sloping talons, are distinctively New York.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1755–90

Medium

Walnut, white oak, white pine, tulip poplar

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Gift of James De Lancey Verplanck and John Bayard Rodgers Verplanck, 1939