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#22 Wainscot chair

These heavy oak chairs, made after the English models, are regarded as the finest of the four [first chairs that were made in this country: three-legged, wainscot, Carver and Brewster], and are believed to have been made about 1650.

Observing No. 22, we see that the back is decorated with carving of somewhat the same character as on some of the chests of the period; and that the under part of the seat rail is also carved.

The original seats of these chairs were of wood; but in this chair a leather seat has been inserted, and a portion of the back has a leather panel, both no doubt because the seat and the panel had been damaged and repairs were made with the more comfortable material.

This chair has descended to the present owner with the tradition that it came from Virginia. Probably about 1650.

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