Elastic Chair
Made by Samuel Gragg
Boston, Massachusetts, ca. 1808
Birch, oak, beech
On loan from the the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, Museum purchase, gift of Martha and William Steen

In addition to his knowledge of wood bending techniques and his awareness of the latest Neoclassical fashions, Gragg also may have found inspiration for the Elastic Chair from a more unexpected source: local ship builders. His shop was located less than a mile away from Boston Harbor, where boat-builders used bentwood technology and compound curves to create hulls that were strong and durable.
Both in concept and appearance, the Elastic Chair shown here resembles the cross section model of a small boat above.