Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object |
Chair, Windsor |
Date |
ca. 1800 |
Description |
Windsor arm chair. Painted wood and original dark green finish. Probably made by Amasa Elwell (1776-1813) of Bennington, Vermont. Made for and used by Captain Elijah Dewey, presumably in the Walloomsac Inn. |
Width (inches) |
27.000 |
Depth (inches) |
17.000 |
Height (inches) |
40.000 |
Subjects |
Walloomsac Inn |
Information |
By 1800 the Windsor chair was the seating furniture of choice in Vermont. One of the first Windsor chair makers to advertise in Bennington was Amasa Elwell who had recently moved to town from Massachusetts. He sold a large number of chairs to Elijah Dewey to furnish his tavern, now known as the Walloomsac Inn. This chair was most likely one of that group. Windsor chairs grew in popularity due to their versatility and relatively low price. They could be made quickly from stock parts made at less busy times or by apprentices. Since they were often made from a combination of different woods, they were almost universally painted. The paint made the surface uniform and helped protect against moisture and wear. These chairs could be used both indoors and out, in parlors and hallways, and for residential and commercial use. It's rare to find Windsor chairs today that still retain their original painted finish. |
Related People |
Dewey, Elijah Elwell, Amasa |
Credit line |
Gift of Mrs. Esther M. Parmelee |
Catalog Number |
A3078 |