Featured A Tale of Two Chippendale Chairs (with a hero)

Jeff. It's going to cost about $350, I think. The thing is even if I paid $500 to fly across the country to see the chair, I wouldn't have known what to look for when I got there. James pointed out some features such as the wooden pegs holding the seat and the skinny back legs, but as I mentioned in my original text, I don't have the knowledge to make the decision based on the furniture. (You should see my "antique" console table that has a zip code sticker at the back of the drawer.) It was my decision to rely on the provenance. Over the months, James kept me from making poor choices as I became enamored with various chairs. The only other one I actually bid on, which had similar but deeper provenance, went for more than 5 times what I paid for this one. I read your posts with interest and find much valuable information in them, so you helped in ways you don't realize. Kiko

 

Congratulations on your new (old) chair!

 

Thank you Joe.

 

I want to thank all the members who looked at and commented on my chair. Your warm congratulations and thoughts added an ambient luster to this already beautiful object. I will not be able to see it without thinking of all of you. Of course, my special thanks to my hero, @James Conrad, for the months of effort in teaching me many valuable lessons about antique objects' evaluation, bidding and shipping and for finding this chair for me amidst the hundreds of "Chippendales" up for auction. I am so happy I found you all.

 

But those squashed balls just scream "Philly" ! James, where did you acquire your knowledge? I'm curious. I studied American decorative arts at the Smithsonian /Corcoran School, and your depth and breadth of of knowledge measures up to professor/connoisseur status.

 

Well thanks! I collect early american furniture so i personally handle it quite a bit plus, extensive library helps a lot plus i interact with dealers who specialize in early american furniture, ditto furniture scholars who write/research specific objects or makers. Naturally, some scholars are dead so NO interacting with them, lol but, if they are alive & their research touches on my interest, i usually email with questions which often leads to discussions about this, that & other things. Furniture scholars are like many old furniture people, once you get them started you can't hardly shut em up!
I been doing it 35-40 years? so, long time and you just pick up little things along the way if you are around it all the time.

 

Update: I heard back from Kindig Antiques - actually, from Joe Kindig who was cited in the provenance. As you read this quote, the most meaningful parts in my mind are that when he owned the chair, the arm that was described in the auction as possibly replaced, was actually original. Therefore, it was really worth far more than I paid for it. The second point is that was from Philadelphia where both @James Conrad and @Darkwing Manor had theorized it was from.

Joe Kindig quote:
"Well I got your email and don't feel I can add any more to it. I bought the chair from Alice Lewis in Easton along with a number of pieces including the pair of Baltimore eagle inlaid dining tables that I sold to Bill Frieling. The chair belonged to Mrs. Lewis and came down in the Vaux family of Philadelphia. It was not part of Reg's collection but there are pieces in the Blue book that belonged to her family although she had no interest in antiques. I felt there was nothing wrong with the chair but I haven't looked at it in 45 years. I had it about ten years when Dan bought it. You know what a beating we have taken over the past eight years. Last year the almost mint Philadelphia Queen Anne Walnut chest on chest in New York sold for $16,000 that they paid $110,000 for. I don't know what to say."

 

Very nice of Joe to respond to your email and it could very well be that there is no "possible" replaced arm. Either way though, you SCORED in my view, your chair is without a doubt a period Philly chippendale chair & the price was very right. It doesn't get any better than that.

 

Now to find that chest on chest.... If prices have dropped on that sort of stuff by almost 90%, it sounds like time to go antique hunting!

 

It IS time for antique hunting, no doubt, a buyers market. Still, Joe was talking about a chest on chest, a MASSIVE piece of furniture, some 18th century examples you need a step ladder to reach the top drawers. I can see why pieces like that have taken a big hit, just not practical in the modern world.

 

i know what you mean; a piece like that requires 12-foot ceilings just to get it in the door. I've seen pictures of gorgeous library tables too and thought "OKFINE, anyone have a library they'll let me have?" On the other hand, if you have such a house, you can make out like a bandit these days.

 

EXACTLY! Meanwhile, that teeny tiny Crosman box in TERRIBLE CONDITION! will probably fetch 20k-30k.
I keep saying terrible condition in the hope of running everyone off, PIPE DREAM! i know but it's all i got!

 

Mental fingers crossed! I'm hoping a church doesn't advertise their jewelry sale this weekend. I wouldn't know about it if I hadn't gone googling. It's not even on their own website. Their events calendar is either off-line or doesn't function in Chrome.

 

Hi,
I loved high ceilings. When I was living in Brooklyn I had 16 ft ceilings.
When I moved I had to sell many great pieces. Two of my favorites were my 12 ft American Empire desk and my 14 ft pier mirror. The memory of those times and especially those two pieces. When I bought the desk, it came in three pieces had it X-rayed at the hospital. I had found four secret compartments after the X-ray found 5 more.
greg

 

Greg
WoW. That is a wonderful story, but most of your stories are so fascinating. Thanks for sharing them. I am so sad you had to part with these fabulous pieces, though. My eyes would be dazzled by the sights. Kiko

 

Too bad somebody else found what was IN those secret compartments before you bought it. I would love to have seen that desk .

 

After this worked out so well, I decided to place another item on my list. So be sure and eat your Wheaties.

 

Update on shipping with USHIP. The chair arrived and is being inspected by the cats. Actually, the shipper was at the door with the paperwork, when Riley took it over. USHIP was an excellent experience. Easy to use. Small shippers. Reasonable price. Offered additional insurance. Shipper was very professional. Wrapped, blanketed, covered it in cardboard and strapped it. I was informed on every step.

 

Well, it arrived! Are you happy with the chair? Agrees on uship, smaller operators with direct contact with driver by phone/text is absolutely the way to go when shipping antique furniture.

 

Happy is an understatement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The chair is far more beautiful in person than in the photograph. You can see how it is a considered work of an artisan with a richness of style and detail. The arms are especially wonderful and I can't see a difference in them in material or construction that would make me think one was replaced. The arms have such elegant curves with wonderful elements. I wish I had the language to describe the various components but for a simple chair, it is very complex when you examine it closely. I'll post some more pictures in the light to show you what I mean. It's still early light here. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.