Eastern Virginia, 1765-1785
Black walnut
Gift of Mrs. Elizabeth Gribbel Corkran in memory of John Gribbel
Catalog no. 21
During the third quarter of the eighteenth century, British cabinet- and chair makers gradually abandoned the cabriole leg favored by the previous generation in favor of the straight, or Marlborough, leg on this smoking chair. In keeping with the neat and plain style, the Marlborough leg soon became the most common form on Chesapeake seating furniture.
Patrick Henry originally owned this chair. It features over-the-rail upholstery found on few other American smoking chairs.