Collection
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Decorative Arts and Design

Armchair

William Savery

1 of 3

Object Label

This Philadelphia armchair, with its highly articulated vasiform splat, exhibits the seamless blending of curving forms into a single, harmonious design that defines the Queen Anne chair style. The Queen Anne style, imported from England, flourished in the United States from about 1725 until 1760. Elements of the chair, such as the carved shell and scroll motifs on the crest rail and knees, the sculptural contouring of the arms and arm supports, the fine beading on the outer edges of the stiles and arms, and the gracefully flaring trifid feet, are characteristic of high-style Philadelphia workmanship.

Caption

William Savery (American, 1721–1787). Armchair, ca. 1760. Walnut, yellow pine, modern upholstery, 42 1/2 x 31 x 21 in. (107.95 x 78.74 x 53.34 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Matthew Scott Sloan Collection, Gift of Lidie Lane Sloan McBurney, 1997.150.1a-b. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)

Title

Armchair

Date

ca. 1760

Medium

Walnut, yellow pine, modern upholstery

Classification

Furniture

Dimensions

42 1/2 x 31 x 21 in. (107.95 x 78.74 x 53.34 cm)

Markings

(1) Incised on top of front seat rail: "I" (2) Paper label attached to outside of rear seat rail: "All sorts of chairs and joiners work made and sold by William Savery. At the sign of the chair a little below the market in Second Street, Philadelphia." (3) Brass plaque attached to inside of rear seat rail: "Fiddle Back Walnut Armchair with Original Label of William Savery, Philadelphia Circa 1750. No. 677 Reifsnyder Collection. American Art Galleries Sale April 27, 1929." [Label added by collector]

Credit Line

Matthew Scott Sloan Collection, Gift of Lidie Lane Sloan McBurney

Accession Number

1997.150.1a-b

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Artists and makers

William Savery

1 work in the collection