Lot Essay
With its scroll-carved knuckle handgrips with projecting side faces and bold turnings on both legs and arm supports, and flattened pommel, this sack-back windsor exhibits the distinct features of Rhode Island windsors. During the late 1780's before the entry of Rhode Island into the Union in 1790, Rhode Island suffered fiscal instability which fostered craftsmen to branch out into odd jobs. The delicacy and intricacy of the handgrips on this piece perhaps suggests work of a craftsman skilled in carving. For further information, see Nancy Goyne Evans, American Windsor Chairs (New York) 1996, p. 272.
A similar bow-back windsor arm chair is illustrated and discussed in Evans, p. 271-272, fig. 6-65 and 6-66.
A similar bow-back windsor arm chair is illustrated and discussed in Evans, p. 271-272, fig. 6-65 and 6-66.