Four Fancy Chairs of Political Interest
Possibly Ohio Valley, Third-Quarter 19th Century
cane bottomed, in yellow paint with gilt highlights, each crest rail depicting acorn and oak leaves, centered by a portrait of a different political figure, including Isaac Shelby 1750-1826), William Henry Harrison (1773-1841), James K. Polk (1795-1849) and George Wythe (1726-1806); each example with an eagle form splat. Probably part of a larger set, and as of this writing previously unrecorded.
Shelby, Harrison, and Polk rose to political prominence West of the Appalachians in Kentucky, Indiana Territory, and Tennessee respectively, serving as governors of each state. Harrison and Polk served as the ninth and 11th Presidents of the United States. Wythe, a lawyer, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, lived his entire life in Virginia and mentored Thomas Jefferson, Henry Clay, and other political powerhouses.
Shelby's inclusion here is odd. His portrait is based upon the circa 1820 painting by Kentucky artist Matthew Harris Jewett (1788-1827). While it is tempting to suggest that these chairs were made in a shop somewhere in Kentucky to commemorate Western politicians, such an attribution unfortunately awaits further research.
Height 33 1/2 inches.
