Robert F. Trent and Karin Goldstein
Notes about New “Tinkham” Chairs

American Furniture 1998

Full Article
Contents
  • Figure 1
    Figure 1

    Turned great chair, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1695–1710. Maple and ash. H. 41 5/8", W. 23 1/2", D. 19 1/4". (Chipstone Foundation; photo, Gavin Ashworth.) This chair descended in the Russell family of Plymouth, but it reputedly belonged to the Winslow family of Marshfield. It appears to have been painted red originally.

  • Figure 2
    Figure 2

    Turned great chair, Netherlands, 1640–1660. Ash. H. 37 3/4", W. 22 1/2", D. 17". (Private collection; photo, John Sinkler.)

  • Figure 3
    Figure 3

    Detail of the finial of the great chair illustrated in fig. 2.

  • Figure 4
    Figure 4

    Detail of the vase-ball-vase turning on the rear post of the great chair illustrated in fig. 2.

  • Figure 5
    Figure 5

    Detail of the column-ball-column turning on the rear post of the great chair illustrated in fig. 2.

  • Figure 6
    Figure 6

    Detail of a pommel on the great chair illustrated in fig. 2.

  • Figure 7
    Figure 7

    Detail of the ball-with-coves turning on the front post of the great chair illustrated in fig. 2.

  • Figure 8
    Figure 8

    Detail of the front seat joint of the great chair illustrated in fig. 2.

  • Figure 9
    Figure 9

    Turned great chair, Boston, 1640–1670. Maple and ash. H. 45 1/4", W. 23 1/4", D. 17 1/2". (Courtesy, Wadsworth Atheneum, Wallace Nutting collection, gift of J. Pierpont Morgan.)

  • Figure 10
    Figure 10

    Turned great chair, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1660–1685. Maple and ash. H. 45 1/2", W. 24 3/4", D. 17 3/4". (Courtesy, Metropolitan Museum of Art, bequest of Mrs. J. Insley Blair.)

  • Figure 11
    Figure 11

    Turned great chair, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1660–1685. Maple and ash. H. 44", W. 23 3/4", D. 18 1/2". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.) This chair descended in the Bartlett family of Plymouth.

  • Figure 12
    Figure 12

    Photograph of Isaac Bartlett, Plymouth, Massachusetts, 1860–1880. Tintype. 3 5/8" x 2 1/4". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.) The subject is seated in the great chair illustrated in fig. 11.

  • Figure 13
    Figure 13

    Turned great chair, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1695–1710. Maple and ash. H. 42 7/8", W. 25 3/4", D. 18 1/2". (Wadsworth Atheneum, Wallace Nutting collection, gift of J. Pierpont Morgan.)

  • Figure 14
    Figure 14 Detail of a columnar spindle on the great chair illustrated in fig. 11
  • Figure 15
    Figure 15

    Detail of a vasiform spindle on the great chair illustrated in fig. 1

  • Figure 16
    Figure 16

    Turned great chair, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1695–1710. Maple and ash. H. 46 3/4", W. 25 1/4", D. 17 1/4". (Courtesy, Pilgrim Society, Pilgrim Hall Museum, Plymouth, Massachusetts, gift of Joseph Head; photo, Gavin Ashworth.) This chair has long been known as the Governor John Carver chair. It appears to have been painted black originally.

  • Figure 17
    Figure 17

    Turned great chair, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1695–1710. Maple and ash. H. 43 1/2", W. 24", D. 15 3/4". (Courtesy, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Bayou Bend Collection; gift of Miss Ima Hogg.) This chair reputedly descended in the Ellis family of Carver, Massachusetts.

  • Figure 18
    Figure 18

    Turned great chair, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1695–1715. Maple and ash. H. 42 1/2", W. 25 3/4", D. 17 3/4". (Courtesy, Pilgrim Society, Pilgrim Hall Museum, gift of Joseph Everett Chandler; photo, Gavin Ashworth.) This chair reputedly descended in the Churchill family of Plymouth.

  • Figure 19
    Figure 19

    Turned great chair, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1705–1720. Maple and ash. H. 41 7/8", W. 24", D. 17 1/2". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.) This chair reputedly descended in the Fairbanks family of Dedham and Wrentham, Massachusetts.

  • Figure 20
    Figure 20

    Turned great chair, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1715–1730. Maple and ash. H. 45 3/4", W. 24", D. 17 7/8". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 21
    Figure 21

    Turned great chair, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1715–1730. Maple and ash. H. 41 3/8", W. 23 1/2", D. 17". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 22
    Figure 22

    Slat-back great chair, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1715–1730. Maple and ash. H. 45 7/8", W. 25 1/4", D. 21". (Wadsworth Atheneum, Wallace Nutting Collection, gift of J. Pierpont Morgan.)

  • Figure 23
    Figure 23

    Slat-back great chair, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1715–1730. Maple and ash. H. 42 1/8", W. 25 1/8", D. 18". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 24
    Figure 24

    Turned great chair, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1715–1730. Maple and ash. Dimensions not recorded. (Courtesy, First Congregational Church of Windham Center, Connecticut, on loan to the Windham Historical Society; photo, Gavin Ashworth.) This chair has long been known as the Governor William Bradford chair.

  • Figure 25
    Figure 25

    Detail of a misbored mortise hole in the right rear post of the great chair illustrated in fig. 1. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 26
    Figure 26

    Detail of a misbored mortise hole in the right rear post of the great chair illustrated in fig. 11. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 27
    Figure 27

    Detail of a misbored mortise hole in the right rear post of the great chair illustrated in fig. 11. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)