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Federal Period Antique Chair

Federal Period Antique Chair

The Federal Period is an American furniture period roughly ranging from 1790 to 1830. The period gleens its name from the early American Federalist Party. This party was intent on forging a strong new Republic and with leaders like Thomas Jefferson they often turned to the classical Greek and Roman days for inspiration. Unlike the more ornate Chippendale style, the early Federal (up to about 1810) period antique chair featured a straighter more symetrical design. Much design of this period, including architecture as well as furniture, was influenced by the recent ancient discoveries at Herculaneum and Pompeii.

As the American economy began to take hold an affluent sector emerged. These folks started looking for more elegant and refined furniture. A Federal antique chair embodies this upward movement with its more graceful, lighter elegant look. Today this style of antique chair is highly prized both for its historical importance and the ease in which it can fit into a contemporary setting. A Louis XIV piece might be somewhat odd in a modern home but a beautiful Federal antique chair would fit right in.

Now, the chairs themselves. Antique Federal chairs more often than not would feature a sheild or heart shaped back. Some have a a rectangular or even oval shaped back but the sheild shape really defines the period. The chair legs tended to be quite straight though not bulky in the front and often the back legs will have a light curve. Refinement and delicacy are dominent amongst these chairs.

Some regions featured there own design traits. The Rhode Island furniture makers tended to use the shield design with a flattened urn in the center. Conneticutt chair makers would use Cherry wood while most others kept to mahogany, the wood traditionally associated with the Federal period. The New York antique chair makers tended to make the square backed chairs as well as incorporating the quarter-fan inlay and Prince of Wales feathers.

The refinements of this period included some trully stunning inlays looking like pinwheels and bellflowers. The Neo-Classical acanthus leaf, cornucopia, various leaf patterns and even a thunderbolt can all be found.

Duncan Phyfe is the most notable designer of this period.  Born in Scotland and moved to New York he, like most antique chair designers, apprenticed for a few years then opened his own business. Phyfe was known for taking exquisite English designs and creating beautiful pieces and selling them for relatively low prices. Phyfe’s work can today be seen at The White House.

Fedral antique chair

A beautiful pair of Rhode Island Antique Federal chairs

Discovery Terms:

antique chair makersfederal period chairsfederal antique chairfederal furniturefederal heart back chair

Topics: Federal Period