Side chair
John Seymour
(American (born in England), 1738–1818)
Thomas Seymour
(American (born in England), 1771–1848)
1795–1805
Object PlaceBoston, Massachusetts, United States
Medium/TechniqueBird's-eye and curly maple, birch
DimensionsOverall: 88.9 x 51.4 x 44.5 cm (35 x 20 1/4 x 17 1/2 in.)
Credit LineGift of Mrs. Isabel Bullard Brown of Lynn, Mass., Miss Mary B. Bullard and Frederic S. Bullard of Portland, ME.
Accession number37.619
On View
Not on viewClassificationsFurniture
Collections
The design for the back of this chair probably is based on a plate in George Hepplewhite's "Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer's Guide" (London, 1794). Although the Seymours are not known to have made chairs in great quantity, this superb example may have been produced in their shop.
InscriptionsIn graphite on interior of side rails, back and front rails: "3"
Label fragment on interior of proper left seat rail: "34 & / 93 EXCHA[NGE] STREET"ProvenanceThe chairs are said to have been owned by John Hancock (died 1793) but do not appear in his inventory; they belonged certainly to his widow, Dorothy Quincy (Hancock) Scott and appear in the inventory of her estate as "14 Birdseye Maple Chairs-$25". At the sale of her effects, advertised in the Columbia Centinel, Feb. 20, 1830, they are noted as "one set of bird's eye maple chairs with damask seatings, one pair similar card tables". They were purchased by Jabez Bullard and descended to the donors.
about 1810
about 1807–10
about 1790–1810
