$312,000
Federal Carved Mahogany and Bird's-eye Maple Veneer Dressing Chest with Mirror, attributed to Thomas Seymour, probably with John Seymour, Boston, c. 1805-10, original brasses, refinished, (minor restoration), ht. 73 1/2, case wd. 35, case dp. 19 7/8 in. Provenance: The estate of Virginia Couper Johnson, New York City. The English immigrants John Seymour and his son Thomas were the leading innovators in Boston for introduction of new stylish forms to Boston beginning with their arrival in 1793. Their innovations included the tambour-door secretary, probably sofa tables, and dressing chests with mirrors like the present example. Based on French prototypes, dressing chests were first made in the town beginning about the time Thomas Seymour opened his large Boston Furniture Warehouse in 1804. Never satisfied with making one version of any form, Thomas Seymour constantly experimented with both basic form and with all the variations of surface ornament so that rarely are two pieces identical unless made originally as a set. Of the many variations of dressing tables with mirrors by the Seymours, none exceeds this one in its elegance and grace, its brilliance of inlay, its condensation and abstraction into a pure recognizably American form. One other virtually identical example is known. In the opinion of the author, they are two of the great masterpieces made in Federal era America. Their perfection of proportion is unsurpassed. Their design takes two large rectangular masses - Read more…
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2012-10-28
