Side Chair
Period1820 - 1835
MediumMahogany
Dimensions32.63 × 19.13 × 17.38 in. (82.9 × 48.6 × 44.1 cm)
MarkingsIncised "XII" in the top of the front seat rail, with "12" written in pencil beside the Roman numeral.
ClassificationsSeating Furniture
Credit LineGift of Mr. and Mrs. Frank L. Olmsted, 1942
Object number1804
DescriptionAn Empire style side chair, with a veneered rectangular crest rail surmounted by a floral and foliate carved tablet and a single carved and pierced slat with a central floral medallion flanked by acanthus leaf scrolls. The chair's front saber style legs and narrow front seat rail are molded, while the rear legs are raked and tapered. The striped upholstery on the slip seat is a replacement.Curatorial RemarksThe attribution to Duncan Phyfe (1770 - 1854) can be considered questionable as there were many cabinetmakers in New York City at the time making fine furniture in the same Empire or Greek Revival style. The form with its graceful line and saber legs is related to klismos chairs as depicted on ancient Greek sculpture.NotesAssociation accession records provide the following information about this chair, "San Domingo mahogany. Empire. Duncan Phyfe style. Possibly made by Phyfe as it was probably given by Wm. Torrey of New York to the Holmanville Church, erected in 1835. Later when it was replaced by other chairs in the Cassville Church, it was given to Mrs. Olmsted who had substantially aided the Church." The Holmanville Presbyterian Church was located in Jackson Township, Ocean County, as was the Cassville Methodist Church. William Torrey was born in New York City on 6 May 1798. He became a merchant. In 1821, he married Adeline Whittemore (1799 - 1890). At some point the Torreys relocated to Ocean County, NJ, as according to the 1850 census they were living in Dover Township. The census schedule indicated that by then Torrey had become a lumber merchant. As late as 1880, the censuses still called him a merchant although by then he was over eighty years of age. William Torrey died in Lakehurst, Ocean County, on 15 June 1891. Frank L. Olmsted (b. 1865) was a teacher. His wife Mabel Weeks Olmsted was born in 1869. Little else can be learned about them at this time. The Olmsteds lived on the Lakewood-New Egypt Road in Jackson in a residence they called Pine Lodge.
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