During the 1790s, Newport cabinetmaker John Townsend began to espouse the Neoclassical idiom while continuing to fashion block-front and Marlborough-legged furniture. His labeled work in this style evinces a direct influence from New York cabinetwork. The pattern of these chairs, for example, which does not appear in any published source, seems to come from England, undoubtedly derived from an import, but probably by way of New York. In addition to the design, the seat construction, with its medial braces, imitates New York examples. These side chairs, the latest documented work by John Townsend, present a notable conclusion to his remarkable career.

Technical notes: Mahogany; birch (seat rails), soft maple (medial braces), eastern white pine, poplar (corner blocks). There are quarter-round blocks between the medial braces, with no evidence of others. The back comprises a stay rail, integral banister, two stiles, and serpentine crest rail. Fragments of original horsehair upholstery support George Hepplewhite’s contention, “Mahogany chairs should have seats of horse hair, plain, striped, checquered, &c. at pleasure.” The decorative tacking scheme has been reproduced. A brace is penciled 20. The rear seat rails are labeled: “Made by John Townsend/Newport 1800.”

Related examples: Originally a group of four. No other chairs of this design are attributed to Townsend’s shop. Similar examples include Antiques 59 (March 1951), p. 165; Rice 1962, p. 50; Montgomery 1966b, pp. 107–8, no. 53; Monkhouse and Michie 1986, pp. 178–79, no. 121; Scherer 1988, p. 13. This pattern appears on New York cabinetmaker Elbert Anderson’s label (Sotheby’s, New York, sale 5357, June 27–28, 1985, lot 429).

Book excerpt: David B. Warren, Michael K. Brown, Elizabeth Ann Coleman, and Emily Ballew Neff. American Decorative Arts and Paintings in the Bayou Bend Collection. Houston: Princeton Univ. Press, 1998.