AMERICAN OR BRITISH CHIPPENDALE MAHOGANY SIDE CHAIR

AMERICAN OR BRITISH CHIPPENDALE MAHOGANY SIDE CHAIR, the shaped crest rail over a pierced vasiform splat with a lower central heart/spade shaped cut-out mortised into a separate shoe above a trapezoidal seat frame, raised on square molded legs with a chamfered inner edge joined by an offset box stretcher. Retains an old finished surface with handsome coloration. The present over-the-rail upholstery campaign appears as if it may be over a finished rail, implying that this could have had a slip seat at one time. Fourth quarter 18th century. 36" HOA, 18" H seat, 16 1/2" x 21" seat.
Catalogue Note: The heart-like shape in the splat of this chair is not dissimilar to the cut-outs seen in the Fredericksburg and eastern Virginia area, but it also bears an extreme similarity to examples found in Ireland and other parts of the UK. 
Literature: See Kirk - American Furniture and the British Tradition to 1830, pp. 264-265, figs. 922-927 for similar American and British examples of the splat detail.

From a prominent Shenandoah Valley of Virginia collection.

Good condition overall with old bracing having been added to the legs for support with an unknown amount of breakage or repair under the upholstery which may have warranted this addition; the whole with moderate expected surface wear.