Slat Back Arm Chair
Maker
Michael Maps
Period1750 - 1800
MediumMaple and ash
Dimensions44.75 × 25.25 × 20.75 in. (113.7 × 64.1 × 52.7 cm)
MarkingsConjoined letters "AL" crudely carved into the right center of the third or center slat.
ClassificationsSeating Furniture
Credit LineGift of Mr. and Mrs. Henry G. Gulick, 2017
Object number2017.2.1
DescriptionA five slat arm chair consisting of turned front legs and rear styles with compressed ball turnings, five unevenly spaced, graduated slats, two sausage turned front stretchers, and six plain turned side and rear stretchers Other features include undercut arms, baluster shaped arm supports ending in a conical terminal above a ring turning, large round ball finials surmounted with a cap or nipple that are further ornamented with an incised line around their centers and a ring turning below. The splint seat is early and possibly original to the chair. Portions of the turned ball feet remain, but have lost roughly half of their height. The present finish is black paint over white paint, over an early dark brown varnish. The conjoined initials "AL" are crudely inscribed right of center on the center splat.Curatorial RemarksThis arm chair, with its early if not original splint seat, is an exceptional example attributed to Michael Maps. It retains its original feet, heavily worn but not ended out. Chairs of this type, all sharing the same details of workmanship with minor variations, have been attributed to Maps since the mid-1970s. Their common characteristics include unevenly spaced slats, large ball finials, the extensive use of flattened or compressed balls in the post turnings, and sausage-turned front stretchers. However, chairs made by the Maps family found in the hands of descendants in 1933 did not include a related example. Other eighteenth century chairmakers working in that area of Monmouth County included John Newman of Shark River. His estate inventory, taken on 23 May 1768, included two entries as follows: "To some Shoemaker’s tules, some Blacksmith’s tules, Turner’s tules, and hous Carpenter’s tules," and "To 20 New Chairs with Bottoms out & 2 new Wagon Wheels." Judah Allen of Shrewsbury was also engaged in chairmaking. His inventory of 3 July 1781 listed his tools, a turning lathe and screws, and "Chair Spokes, Patterns & Sundries in the Garret." The inscribed initials "AL" on the third slat of this chair probably represent an early owner, or perhaps his children. NotesA native of Germany born in Gutersloh, Westphalia, Michael Maps (1728 - 1802) sailed for America from Rotterdam in 1754. Initially indentured to George Smith for seven years in payment for his passage, he subsequently married Smith's daughter Barbara and settled on Smith land in the present borough of West Long Branch, Monmouth County. Maps, who was a chairmaker and wheelwright, died in 1802. He was also an ardent early member of the Independent Methodist Church, and is buried in that denomination's cemetery in West Long Branch. His estate inventory, taken on September 5 1802, lists "three Cheer racks," and "One Grindstone, one set of Carpenter Tools, one lot of Cheer and Wheel Stuff." A son and grandson followed Maps in the chairmaking trade. They were Frederick Maps (1756 - 1818) and Zenas Maps (1786 - 1862), both of whom occupied the homestead in West Long Branch. For other examples of chairs attributed to Michael Maps, see accession numbers 1990.611, 1990.624, 1992.520, and 2017.703.
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