1985.B.23, shop of William Savery, Armchair, Philadelphia, c. 1745-1760

This chair, with its turned stretchers joining the legs, baluster-shaped turnings under the arms, and woven rush seat, suggests earlier chairmaking traditions. A less expensive alternative to Philadelphia's elaborately carved mahogany chairs, examples such as this were typically enlivened by the application of a brown, black, orange, or red color, as the buyer preferred. This chair was likely colored a dark reddish brown originally. Chairmaker Solomon Fussel and his apprentice William Savery established a long tradition in Philadelphia for reasonably priced chairs.

Kevin W. Tucker, DMA unpublished material, Label text (1985.B.23), 2006.

Until 1950s: Joe Kindig, Sr., York, Pennsylvania

1950s-1985: The Faith P. and Charles L. Bybee Collection, Houston, Texas

From 1985: Collection of the Dallas Museum of Art, purchased from Faith P. and Charles L. Bybee

The main source for this provenance is Charles L. Venable, American Furniture in the Bybee Collection, (Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, published in association with the Dallas Museum of Art, 1989), 24.

This rush-bottomed, inexpensive chair was the most popular model in 18th century Philadelphia households, and the most commonly listed seating form in Philadelphia inventories until the 1780s and 1790s.

Apply to objects where number equals 1985.B.23