Object Number 1957.0683

Object Name

Settee (Sofa)

Category

Furniture

Credit Line/Donor

Bequest of Henry Francis du Pont

Creator (Role)

John and Thomas Seymour (Maker)

Place of Origin

Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, New England, United States, North America

Secondary Place of Origin

France, Europe

Secondary Origin Notes

Per previous cataloger, this fabric is a green drouget made in France between 1770 and 1780.

Date

1805-1810

Materials

Mahogany; Birch; Maple, soft; Silk

Techniques

Woven (compound)

Dimensions (inches)

42.5 (H) , 86.625 (W) , 27 (D) , 3.5 (Repeat Height)

Dimensions (centimeters)

107.95 (H) , 220.028 (W) , 68.58 (D) , 8.89 (Repeat Height)

Measurement Notes

OH at center of crest rail; OL at arms; OD from back of crest to front of center feet. H (seat) 18.5 in (47.0 cm). The left cushion has OL: 14.5 in, OW: 9.5 in, OH: 8.0 in. The right cushion has OL: 14.0, OW: 9.0 in, OH: 8.0 in. (Sara Jatcko, 03/10/2009)

Object Description

Web - 01/23/2019

Five-chair-back settee. Therm legs with reeding at feet. Arms carved and molded, with veneered fronts. Arms and back upholstered approximately halfway. Above, five connected chair backs with curving members forming four quarter-ellipses per chair and four full ellipses and four top halves of ellipses across the entire back of the settee. The crest of each "chair back" set with a birch-veneered tablet flanked by reeded baluster elements.

Bibliography and Bibliographic Notes

[Book] Montgomery, Charles F., et al. 1966 American Furniture: The Federal Period, in the Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum.
• Published: no. 37.
[Book] Mussey, Robert D. 2003 The Furniture Masterworks of John and Thomas Seymour.
• Published: cat. no. 138, pp. 410-11.
[Book] Cantor, Jay E. 1997 Winterthur. 264.
• Published: p. 193
[Book] Sweeney, John A. H. 1963 The Treasure House of Early American Rooms.
• Published: p. 21, 87
[Manuscript] Bertrand, Rebecca & Parks, Sarah. Seasonal Change Study.
• See Curator of Textiles for Seasonal Change Study binder discussing this object.