拍品專文
Although the fashion for upholstered Windsor furniture evolved in New York City, this was not the only urban center in which this rare type of upholstered furniture was produced. Both upholstered Windsor arm chairs and side chairs were made in New York City in the mid 1780's; judging by many of the advertisements of the period they quickly became quite desirable.
New York chairmakers Thomas and William Ash advertised Windsors "very elegant, being stuffed in the seat and brass nailed" in the New York Packet in 1785. A labeled example of a chair of this type was produced in New York City in 1797 by John De Witt and upholstered by William Gallatian.
Philadelphia Windsor chairmakers of the 1780's like John Letchworth, John Lambert and William Cox, were soon to follow New York's lead and produced their own version of the upholstered Windsor chairs. Stuffed seat examples by these Philadelphia chairmakers in bow back style, arm chairs and side chairs occasionally come to light.
Windsor settees on the other hand that were built to be upholstered are extremely rare. The intent of the chairmaker of this lot is evident by the absence of saddling or shaping of the unpainted seat plank and the additional original strip of wood nailed lengthwise to the bottom front of the seat to create a deep cushion appearance when covered. This conceit when accented by brass nails across the entire front of the seat is quite elegant.
This is a splendid and rare example of a Philadelphia upholstered Windsor settee made in the last decade of the eighteenth century when the style was in the height of fashion. The Windsor settee form and the art of the upholsterer work so well together, it is surprising we do not see the combination used more often on surviving examples.
Charles Santore
Philadelphia, November 1997
New York chairmakers Thomas and William Ash advertised Windsors "very elegant, being stuffed in the seat and brass nailed" in the New York Packet in 1785. A labeled example of a chair of this type was produced in New York City in 1797 by John De Witt and upholstered by William Gallatian.
Philadelphia Windsor chairmakers of the 1780's like John Letchworth, John Lambert and William Cox, were soon to follow New York's lead and produced their own version of the upholstered Windsor chairs. Stuffed seat examples by these Philadelphia chairmakers in bow back style, arm chairs and side chairs occasionally come to light.
Windsor settees on the other hand that were built to be upholstered are extremely rare. The intent of the chairmaker of this lot is evident by the absence of saddling or shaping of the unpainted seat plank and the additional original strip of wood nailed lengthwise to the bottom front of the seat to create a deep cushion appearance when covered. This conceit when accented by brass nails across the entire front of the seat is quite elegant.
This is a splendid and rare example of a Philadelphia upholstered Windsor settee made in the last decade of the eighteenth century when the style was in the height of fashion. The Windsor settee form and the art of the upholsterer work so well together, it is surprising we do not see the combination used more often on surviving examples.
Charles Santore
Philadelphia, November 1997