Very Fine Queen Anne Carved Mahogany Easy Chair, New York, circa 1765

Everet Horgan, Harrison, New York;
Israel Sack, Inc., New York, June 1979;
Stanley Paul Sax, Detroit, Michigan (1925-1997);
Sotheby's, New York, Highly Important Americana from the Stanley Paul Sax Collection, January 17, 1998, sale 7087, lot 515;
Alan Miller, Quakertown, Pennsylvania. 

Proper left rail replaced, front legs with minor repairs. Bottom 1-inch of both rear feet ended out.
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 chair, with its elegant sweeping serpentine crest distinctive rear legs and claw-and-ball feet, is a classic example of the upholstered easy chairs produced in New York during the Chippendale period. The easy chair form or what is now commonly referred to as the "wing chair," originated in England in the 1600s but did not appear as a product of Colonial American workshops until around 1720.  The term "easy chair" derived from the old French term aisie, meaning "conducive to ease or comfort."  The introduction of the form in America during the William and Mary period marked radical changes in the furniture trade.  As one of the first almost entirely upholstered furniture forms to arrive in America, its manufacture necessitated the cooperation of two different craftsmen, the cabinetmaker and the upholsterer.

Upholstered seating furniture emphasized comfort, luxury reserved for wealthy individuals who could afford the expensive fabrics and upholstery materials which had to be imported from Europe prior to the development of an American textile industry.  By the time this chair was made, a domestic textile industry had been established.  Textiles did, however, remain costly and the privilege of comfort was still that of the wealthy and the upholstering materials and fabrics were, by far, the most expensive component of the chair.  Chippendale chairs of this sort were commonly upholstered in wool moreen, silk damask, or embroidered needlework.