Figure 1  Easy chair, England or eastern Virginia, ca. 1745. Walnut with beech; original upholstery with later additions. H. 45 3/4", W. 30 1/4", D. 30 1/2". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

Figure 2  Matthew Pratt, Mary Jemima Balfour, Hampton,Virginia, 1773. Oil on canvas. 49" x 39 1/2". (Courtesy, Virginia Historical Society.)

Figure 3  Illustration of a standard eighteenth-century approach to over-the-rail upholstery:
(a) front seat rail, (b) straw or grass roll, (c) linen casing for roll, (d) top linen, (e) show textile,
(f) removable shoe molding, (g) rear seat rail,
(h) horse hair stuffing, (i) foundation linen,
(j) webbing strips. (Drawing, Leroy Graves; artwork, Wynne Patterson.)

Figure 4  Easy chair attributed to the Anthony Hay shop, Williamsburg, Virginia, 1750–1770. Mahogany with ash, tulip poplar, and yellow pine. H. 44 1/8", D. 28 1/2", W. 31 3/4". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

Figure 5  Detail of a rasp-shaped wing on the easy chair illustrated in fig. 4, showing clusters of nail holes related to the original webbing on the lower edge of the back and wing.

Figure 6  Side chair, Fredericksburg, Virginia, ca. 1815. Mahogany with ash and yellow pine.
H. 36 1/2", W. 21 1/4", D. 18". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

Figure 7  Detail of an upholstery peak on the side chair illustrated in fig. 6. (Photo, L. Graves and F. C. Howlett.)

Figure 8  Armchair, probably Norfolk, Virginia, ca. 1790. Mahogany with ash. H. 38 3/4",
W. 20 3/4", D. 17 3/4". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

Figure 9  Detail of shadow marks indicating early or original upholstery profiles on the chair illustrated in fig. 8.

Figure 10  Easy chair, England, 1750–1760. Mahogany with beech and deal; remnants of original upholstery. H. 47", W. 32 3/4", D. 25 1/2". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

Figure 11  Detail of an original edge roll on the wing of the easy chair illustrated in fig. 10.

Figure 12  Armchair attributed to Edmund Dickinson, Williamsburg, Virginia, ca. 1775. Cherry; oak slipseat. H. 38 1/4", W. 26 1/2", D. 18 1/2". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

Figure 13   Detail of the slipseat from the armchair illustrated in fig. 12. (Photo, F. C. Howlett.) The seat has its original curled hair and grass stuffing.

Figure 14  Detail of a leather fragment trapped beneath a forged nail on the seat frame of the chair illustrated in fig. 12. (Photo, L. Graves.)

Figure 15  Side chair, New England, 1790–1800. Mahogany with cherry and yellow pine; original upholstery foundation with remnants of haircloth cover. H. 40 3/8", W. 20 3/4", D. 18 1/4". (Private collection; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

Figure 16  Detail of textile imprints on the seat rail of the chair illustrated in fig. 15.

Figure 17  Detail of modern brass nails used to point out the original nail pattern on the chair illustrated in fig. 8.

Figure 18  Masonic master’s chair signed by Benjamin Bucktrout, Williamsburg, Virginia, 1769–1775. Mahogany with walnut; original black-grained leather upholstery with brass nail trim. H. 65 1/2", W. 31 1/4", D. 29 1/2". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

Figure 19  Settee attributed to the shop of Peter Scott, Williamsburg, Virginia, 1771–1776. Cherry with tulip poplar and white oak. H. 36 1/2", W. 73", D. 21 1/2". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

Figure 20  Smoking chairs, Southampton County, Virginia, ca. 1775. Walnut with yellow pine. H. 32 1/4", W. 2 3/4", D. 25". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

Figure 21  The Grymes Children attributed to John Hesselius, Brandon, Middlesex County, Virginia, ca. 1750. Oil on canvas. 56" x 66 1/4". (Courtesy, Virginia Historical Society.)

Figure 22  Easy chair, piedmont region of Virginia, ca. 1790. Black walnut with yellow pine; original leather upholstery. H. 44 1/4", W. 28 1/2", D. 22 1/2". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

Figure 23  Armchair, probably Albemarle County, Virginia, ca. 1800. Cherry; original black leather upholstery. H. 34 7/8", W. 23 1/4", D. 19 1/4". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

Figure 24  Detail of the black-grained leather and a stitched seam on the chair illustrated in fig. 18.

Figure 25  Preconservation view of the bottom of the chair illustrated in fig. 18. (Photo, L. Graves.)

Figure 26  Preconservation detail of the chair illustrated in fig. 18, showing the seat with upholstery peaks visible beneath leather.

Figure 27  X-radiograph of an armrest on the chair illustrated in fig. 18, showing undisturbed original nails. (Courtesy, Robert Berry, Fabrication Division, Nondestructive Evaluation Section, NASA—Langley Research Center.)

Figure 28  X-radiograph taken above the front seat rail of the chair illustrated in fig. 18, showing one strip of webbing, webbing nails, and the front edge roll. (Courtesy, Robert Berry, Fabrication Division, Nondestructive Evaluation Section, NASA—Langley Research Center.)

Figure 29  Auxiliary support for the seat of the chair illustrated in fig. 18: (a) 1/4" acrylic support plate beneath the original upholstery, (b) ventilation holes in acrylic support plate, (c) bolt and T-nut, (d) diagonal brace, (e) 4-ply laminated acid-free ragboard. (Drawing, L. Graves; artwork, Wynne Patterson.)

Figure 30  Detail of the corner bracket associated with the auxiliary support for the chair illustrated in fig. 18: (a) 1/4" acrylic support plate beneath the original upholstery, (b) ventilation hole in acrylic support plate, (c) bolt and T-nut, (d) 24-gauge copper Z-shaped bracket, (e) copper rivet, (f) diagonal brace, (g) triangular-shaped 1/8" acrylic support, (h) self-adhesive moleskin, (i) silk Crepeline fabric, (j) 4-ply laminated acid-free ragboard. (Drawing, L. Graves; artwork, Wynne Patterson.)

Figure 31  Detail of the underside of the chair illustrated in fig. 18, showing the new auxiliary support. (Photo, L. Graves.)

Figure 32  Easy chair, Richmond, Virginia, ca. 1820. Walnut and maple with white pine, yellow pine, and tulip poplar; original upholstery. H. 45 3/4", W. 30 1/4", D. 30 1/2". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

Figure 33  Design for plates used to secure and realign the damaged wing joint of the chair illustrated in fig. 32. (Drawing, L. Graves; artwork, Wynne Patterson.)

Figure 34  Preconservation detail of exposed Spanish moss stuffing from the chair illustrated in fig. 32. (Photo, L. Graves.)

Figure 35  Postconservation view of the easy chair illustrated in fig. 32, showing the stabilized original upholstery.

Figure 36  Easy chair, Boston, Massachusetts, 1759. Walnut with white pine and maple; roller-printed chintz slipcover, ca. 1840. H. 46 1/8", W. 33 7/8", D. 21 3/4". (Courtesy, Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities.)

Figure 37  Postconservation view of the easy chair illustrated in fig. 32, showing the new slipcover modeled after the example illustrated in fig. 36. (Photo, Hans Lorenz.)

Figure 38  Side chair, probably Norfolk, Virginia, 1790–1810. Walnut and holly inlay with yellow pine. H. 34 1/2", W. 18 3/8", D. 17 1/2". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

Figure 39  Detail showing evidence of the original brass nail trim on the front seat rail of the chair illustrated in fig. 38. (Photo, L. Graves and F. C. Howlett.)

Figure 40  Slipseat frame, Virginia or Britain,
ca. 1755. Beech; remnants of original linen and striped, black haircloth. (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

Figure 41  Sofa labeled by Chester Sully, Norfolk, Virginia, 1811. Mahogany with yellow pine, tulip poplar, and ash. H. 37 7/8", W. 72 5/8", D. 23". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

Figure 42  Components of the nonintrusive upholstery system devised for the side chair illustrated in fig. 38: (a) front seat rail, (b) 24-gauge copper face plate, (c) black cotton fabric, (d) haircloth show textile, (e) brass nails, (f) removable shoe molding, (g) rear seat rail, (h) polyester batting, (i) Ethafoam, (j) 32-gauge copper foundation. (Drawing, L. Graves; artwork, Wynne Patterson.)

Figure 43  Postconservation view of the side chair illustrated in fig. 38.

Figure 44  Sofa, Winchester, Virginia, 1790–1800. Black walnut and maple inlay with yellow pine and tulip poplar. H. 37", W. 89", D. 27 1/2". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

Figure 45  Sofa, Winchester, Virginia, 1790–1800. Black walnut and maple inlay with yellow pine and tulip poplar. H. 37", W. 86 1/2", D. 27 1/4". (Private collection; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

Figure 46  Detail of an inlaid leg on the sofa illustrated in fig. 44.

Figure 47  Detail of the arm assembly and seat rails of the sofa illustrated in fig. 44.

Figure 48  Detail of the sofa illustrated in fig. 45, with modern nails pointing out original brass nail locations.

Figure 49  Detail of the sofa illustrated in fig. 44, with new upholstery and trim applied according to evidence found on the frame. (Photo, L. Graves and F. C. Howlett.)

Figure 50  Postconservation view of the sofa illustrated in fig. 44, with cushions fabricated according to a dimensional study of the frame. (Photo, Hans Lorenz.)