Chair, Rocking

Description

Rocking chair made with #4 production chair parts. Top side stretchers, however, were eliminated and in their place, a drawer opening to each side was made. Chair appears to be mostly maple, although it is difficult to ascertain due to paint. Drawers are of pine with oak hangers and bottoms of stripes of pine edge-glued and covered with heavy cardboard. Rockers are secured in slots in posts with wood screws. Tape is black with two gold stripes (badly faded) in plain weave. The back has only one layer of woven tape but on the seat, the black/gold stripe tape is woven over all black tape seat.

Notes

In Mount Lebanon product catalogues, this chair was listed as a "Number 4 worsted back chair with rockers." Two drawers were added to the production model by removing the top side stretchers and constructing a case to hold the drawers, which move on runners that slide into grooves cut into the insides of the case. Each drawer has a catch mechanism consisting of a metal strip and a nail preventing the drawer from leaving the case. The drawers would have been useful for storing sewing materials, handwork, or other small objects, and this particular chair is frequently referred to as a "sewing chair." The decorative color scheme is reminiscent of Victoria-era Shaker furniture. The dark wash on the posts, legs, and drawers contrasts sharply with the red wash on the cushion rail, rockers, and stretchers. The woven tape on the back and the seat is probably commercially-produced, as was typical of tapes used by the Shakers in the late 19th century. Over forty yards would have been required to complete this chair. The bar spanning the top of the posts was added to hold a hanging cushion, another option available when a customer ordered a chair.