Featured James Garfield Folding Funeral Chair???

Hi again!!! In one of my Mother's house clean-outs, she acquired a folding chair (attached pictures) that is/was purported to be from James Garfield's funeral.....there is/was a black ribbon on one of the corners....I still have it in some tissue paper as it fell off....decaying I suppose. The deceased owner of the house's father owned a large hotel and was also supposed to have invited President Garfield to come heal by the seaside and ocean airs. Obviously not to be!! I have tried offering it to the JG Museum in Ohio, but they aren't interested. So, I have just hung onto it......not sure where to turn next....and I know next-of-kin might just put it in a dumpster!!!! Thoughts??????
THANKS!!!!!

 

Have you had this authenticated? Appears to be at least for Garfield or a memorial to him. Garfield did travel to the seaside where he died 13 days later. His body lied in state at the Capitol and his funeral was held in Cleveland so the chair being at the hotel doesn't necessarily fit. Perhaps the owner commissioned the chair as a memorial to Garfield at the hotel?

What does it say on the tag? Any information with the ribbon? What did the Garfield museum have to say about it? Any way you look at it, it is an interesting historical piece. I would try to get as much information as possible and/or authenticate it. Once you have that, you might approach an auction house that specializes in political memorabilia to see if they are interested (Hake's and Heritage come to mind) or list on ebay.

 

~~~~


Sorry, Brad, I forgot to upload the label.....The ribbon is just plain black....maybe 1 1/2" heavy, falling apart......the beach area was in New England.....and the hotel was ON Block Island, RI to be exact!! What the Garfield museum said I honestly do not remember specifically.....it was probably eight to ten years ago I queried them......I mostly remember them saying that it was nice, but they had all the memorabilia they wanted and were not interested. So, to authenticate it..... hmmmmm.....I know that information did NOT come out of my head, which means either it was printed somewhere and I should still have it or it could be in a letter the hotel owner's daughter wrote to someone....which I still may have.....all that means MORE digging!!!!! I think you've put me on the right track with what to do with it at least!!!! Brad, you're a lifesaver!! Thank you so much!!!!

 

Perhaps the hotel owner commissioned the chair especially for him and he never got to use it ? Id think someone would want it , its obviously a one off . I couldn't imagine theyd have run off bunches of them in a few days for his funeral ? What a cool piece .

 

The JG Museum is right down the highway from me, and I've been there. Hard to believe they'd turn it down in any event...
I am surfing like mad, looking for pictures of his funeral! Wish me luck!

 

I never thought of THAT take on it!!! Interesting!!! Thanks!!

 

~~~
Oh, I wish you TONS of luck....I did that back when I was searching the chair out.....you'll find pictures, but I found nothing I could actually pin on the chair!!! But then I am not GILA......the FERRET!!!! YOU are GOOD, girl.....you just might have better luck!!!!!

 

The closest thing I found was a reference to a favorite chair which he used on the New Jersey seaside while there. Looked all through the museum pictures, funeral announcements, news items... nothin'. YET! The ferret is not done!

 

This fits better with your story of him not making it there to the hotel than the reality of his death. He died while at the New Jersey seaside. The story is pretty convoluted in relation to the events of his death and funeral. I hope you can get it sorted out, as it will make a huge difference in value.

 

Ooooops, Brad, sorry again....forgot to post the pic of the ribbon.....here 'tis....

 

I found the company's 1879 catalog... I can't make a copy, but here is your chair's relative!!!!
https://ia800503.us.archive.org/14/items/seventeenthannua00newh/seventeenthannua00newh.pdf
You can download the whole catalog... I'm looking for any mention of custom chairs or funeral references...

 

Totally understood that it was a bit confusing......my thoughts were that just maybe, since I'm sure there were those around the President that could see he wasn't getting any better, and in fact...worsening, might have taken it upon themselves to possibly order 'some' specially made folding chairs in 'advance' of the 'foreseeable' future......and after the President had passed, maybe, just maybe, someone might have sent the Island hotel owner a chair in 'remembrance' of the deceased President. That would be MY most logical take on it, anyway!!!
Sue

 

~~~
Awesome!!!! TERRIFIC FIND Gila!!! Now, find me chair #141 and I'll be a REALLY HAPPY CAMPER!!!! Thank you SO much.....Have saved that link!!!! And I found an earlier catalog!!

 

I found three catalogs, all before 1881, but they did not have a "141", so yours is apparently not from 1873, 1876, or 1879.
Dang!
But... the company really does have a distinctive look, especially that viceroy-looking thing on the top of the chair's back. The closest matches I found to yours was in the general category of "Gents' Chairs".

EDIT
I did observe that among all the folding chairs in those days, these folks made really NICE ones!

 

Gila the Ferret ...........I like that name !!!!

 

Ferret noises... I'm makin' em!

 

Franklyn Cottage where Garfield died was on the Jersey shore, not Block Island. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garfield_Tea_House

 

Fascinating stuff. Those chairs look more comfy than the ones we have today!

 

Maybe you could pop by there and ask, Gila.

 

What town was the house in?