The Taylor Family Very Rare Diminutive Queen Anne Mahogany Easy Chair, Philadelphia, circa 1755

Accompanying this lot is a cloth label once affixed to the later show cover inscribed: This chair belonged to / Mary Richardson Taylor / given by her / husband Samuel Taylor / It dates about / 1736 / Bequeathed to / Mary Wood / by Mary Randolph / 1909 (2 pieces).

Samuel Taylor and Mary Richardson Taylor;
Mary Taylor (1789-1867), daughter, who married Edward Randolph (1784-1834), November 14, 1809;
Mary Kneass Wood, wife of Edward R. Wood, grandson of Mary Taylor Randolph;
Mary Wood Diaz, daughter;
John W. Cadbury, Jr, son;
John W. Cadbury, III, son;
Sotheby's, New York, Important Americana, January 27, 1990, sale 5968, lot 1120;
Property of a Gentleman;
Sotheby's, New York, Important American Furniture, Clocks, Decorations, American folk Art, folk Paintings and 20^th Century Self-Taught Art, January 17, 1997, sale 6957, lot 1017 and sold for $68,500.

The feet showing a rich, dark finish. Two modern screws added to each wing where they meet the crestrail, with accompanying glue. A 1 inch patch appears at the tip of the proper right forefoot.
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.

This mahogany easy chair is a very rare early example of American upholstered seating furniture in the Queen Anne style, featuring the characteristic outline of a Philadelphia product in the C-scroll-shaped arm supports, the rounded front seat rail, the shape of the front cabriole legs, and the trifid feet. Exceedingly few surviving Philadelphia Queen Anne easy chairs have trifid feet. One example was in the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Lammot du Pont Copland and sold at Sotheby’s, New York, January 19, 2002, lot 188 sold for $583,250. Another closely related Philadelphia Queen Anne easy chair with slipper feet is in the collection of Wright’s Ferry Mansion (see Elizabeth Meg Schaefer, Joe K. Kindig III, et. al., Wright’s Ferry Mansion: The Collection, (Columbia, PA: The Von Hess Foundation, 2005), p. 46, no. 7). One, with a history in the Devan family of Philadelphia, was formerly owned by Israel Sack Inc. (see American Antiques from Israel Sack Collection, vol. IX, P6067, p. 2475).