A Very Rare Neo-Classical Carved Mahogany Dolphin Footed Sofa, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

lacking casters

proper right return on crest replaced approximately 1 in.; upholstery not original; minor patches to veneer; secondary wood is white pine and cederalla; added bracing under seat for added later springs.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Noted by Wendy Cooper in Classical Taste in America: 1800-1840 as among the most scintillating pieces of early American seating furniture, the dolphin sofa is a distinctly American form inspired by patterns published in the London Chair-Maker's and Carvers Book of Prices for Workmanship (1802).

Represented here as a visually appealing sofa support, the dolphin motif was favored during the late Federal period, particularly in New York and Philadelphia, as the symbol of Venus, the goddess of love, who was borne out of the sea and carried to land on a scallop shell, accompanied by dolphins.  The motif was often rendered with a round bulbous head and snub nose perhaps based upon the fantastical creatures found in classical mosaics, Minion pottery, and Empire furniture.  Nineteenth century cabinetmakers and carvers must have considered the dolphin's scales and flowing body a dramatic embellishment to their stately furniture.

Very few dolphin-ended sofas are known. A new York example was originally owned by Commodore John Rogers (1773-1837) at Sion Hill in Havre de Grace, Maryland was sold at Christie's, Important American Furniture, Folk Art and Prints, October 8, 2004, lot 100.  A second example currently in the Warner Collection and is illustrated in Tom Armstrong, ed., An American Odyssey: The Warner Collection of American Fine and Decorative Arts, 2001, p. 188.  A third example is in the collection of the White House and illustrated in Betty Monkman's, The White House: Its Furnishings and First Families, 2000, p. 245. A fourth in a private collection is illustrated in Wendy Cooper's In Praise of America, 1980, pl. 49, p. 245.  A fifth is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is illustrated in Davidson and Stillinger, The American Wing: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1985, fig 246, pp. 158-9.  A sixth is in the collections of the Detroit Institute of Art.

This example is nearly identical to a sofa that belonged to a Mr. K. W. Mansfield of Westport, Connecticut and is illustrated in Luke Vincent Lockwood's, Colonial Furniture in American, Vol. 2, (New York: Castle Books, 1951), p. 164, fig. 669.  The only difference is the termination of the crest.  The Mansfield example has carved rosettes as compared to the curved points on this example.