THE MAYOR THOMAS WILLING VERY FINE AND RARE SET OF SEVEN FEDERAL CARVED AND FIGURED MAHOGANY CANED-SEAT DINING CHAIRS, ATTRIBUTED TO HENRY CONNELLY (1770-1826), PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, CIRCA 1804

Consisting of five side chairs and two armchairs.

Made for Thomas Willing (1731-1821), Mayor of Philadelphia;
Descended in the Willing Family; 
Thomas A. Curran, Philadelphia;
Mr. William Ledwith, New York;
To present owner.

One with a broken caned seat, otherwise good condition.
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.

Derived from patterns for "Parlour Chairs" published in Thomas Sheraton's, The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer's Drawing Book (London, 1793), pI. 331 this set of chairs are part of a set of twenty-four armchairs and side chairs made by Henry Connelly (1770-1826) for Mayor Thomas Willing (1731-1821) of Philadelphia in 1804. They were purchased (along with thirteen other armchairs) in June 1928 by Thomas A. Curran from a Willing family descendant.  Other armchairs from the set include one in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art illustrated in James Biddle, American Art from American Collections, (New York, 1963), p. 15, six others advertised in The Magazine Antiques (October 1960): 293, another was sold at Christie's, New York, The Collection of Mrs. Bertram D. Coleman, January 16, 1998, sale 8842, lot 265 and a pair was sold at Sotheby's, New York, The Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords, Vol. II, October 28-29, 2004, sale 8016, lot 293.

The distinctive turned and tapering reeded legs with bulbous knees and spade feet are also known on a sideboard made by Henry Connelly for Henry Hollingsworth in 1806 (see Marian Carson, "Sheraton's Influence in Philadelphia: The Parallel Works of Henry Connelly and Ephraim Haines," in Philadelphia Furniture and Its Makers, 1975, p. 85). Nearly identical ebony chairs are part of the famous set for Stephen Girard by Ephraim Haines  (1775-1837). The surviving bill of sale states that the legs were turned by Barney Schumo and were carved by John Morris. Given the direct similarities it is probable that these men also worked on this set of chairs.  For additional information on Henry Connelly and Ephraim Haines see Page Talbot's entries in Philadelphia: Three Centuries of Art, (Philadelphia, PA: Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1976), p., 211-2, no. 173a and 173b.