E. B. Tracy, Lisbon, Connecticut, circa 1785. Each having an arched bowed crest continuing to form shaped handholds above twelve swelled spindles with two bracing spindles behind, the peaked saddle seat raised on splayed vase- and ring-turned legs joined by stretchers; painted dark brown over green; each chair branded on underside of seat E. B. Tracy. Height of seat 18 ½ in. (47 cm.); height of crest 38 ½ in. (97.8). Ebenezer Tracy. Sr. (1744-1803), Lisbon, ConnecticutBorn on April 20, 1744 to Andrew and Ruth Tracy, Ebenezer Tracy was a cabinetmaker, chairmaker, joiner and builder who worked in Lisbon, Connecticut during the late-eighteenth century. Ebenezer Tracy’s estate inventory, compiled after his death in March of 1803, indicates he had a prolific and prosperous cabinetmaking workshop. According to the inventory, the Tracy craftsmen used the following tools and equipment: “52 moulding tools, 27 Joiners plains, 76 Chysils, Gouges &c. 14 fines and coarse hands saws, 50 Iron square, 50 hold fast, Bench dog, Glue kettle, 2 Lead pots, Varnish pot, 12 lbs. glue, Stone yellow, 62 & 43 papers lamp black.” Provenance: Ex-Collection of the Late Grace R. Nowels. Purchased from Martha E. Nowels, Tucson, Arizona, 1980. $12,000-18,000. Highly Important Americana from Stanley Paul Sax Collection, January 16th-17th, 1998, SOTHEBY’S, New York. Sale Code: 7087-SAX.
Oil on canvas, 91.44 cm x 152.4 cm (36” x 60”), 2016. Private collection
The arched bentwood crest above seven swelling cylindrical spindles held by a flat bentwood support terminating in carved knuckled handgrips, all over a pommled oval seat, on four ring and baluster legs joined by ring and baluster H-Stretchers -37in. high. Provenance: Hirschel Adler Galleries, Inc., New York. $5,000-8,000.
Oil on canvas, 36”x48”, 2017.
Branded I. Henzey, Philadelphia, circa 1791, made for the Pennsylvania State Assembly, The arched bowed back above nine tapered bamboo-turned spindles and shaped plank seat below bamboo turned legs joined by bamboo-turned stretchers. Stamped I . HENZEY, also branded CITY & COUNTY OF PA. on underside of the seat Retains a brown varnished surface. Height of seat 17 in. (43.2 cm); height of crest 37 ¼ in. (94.6 cm.). Henzey produced finely proportioned high-black, fan-back, sack-back, and bow-back Windsor chairs with turnings characterized by their long, shapely balusters, large flaring spools, and slightly bulging rings. On April 13, 1791, he sold a set of windsor chairs stamped “I . HENZEY CITY & COUNTY OF PHI” on the seat undersides, to the Pennsylvania State Assembly for 61-5-0 pounds. Genealogical research conducted by Carl M Williams in 1979 indicates the presently offered chair was one of that set. When Henzey died in 1796, he was succeeded by his son Joseph Henzey Jr., also a “Windsor painter and chair maker.” Provenance: Joseph Smith (1788-1843) married Sarah Townsend, daughter of Noah Townsend of Northern Liberties, Philadelphia, prior to 1811. By descent through family to Mrs. Wernle of Glenolden, Pennsylvania, great-granddaughter of Joseph Smith Purchased from Wernle by Stanly S. Wohl, Annapolis Maryland, 1936. Sotheby Park-Bernet Inc., Fine Americana. Property of the Estate of Stanley S. Whole, Annapolis Maryland, June 23, 1979, sale 4268, lot 1266. Israel Stack Inc., New York 1979. According to family tradition, Joseph Smith acquired the presently offered Windsor side chair during the first quarter of the nineteenth century from the old State House in Philadelphia, when he was a clerk of the Supreme Court. The chair descended through the family until it was sold by his granddaughter, Mr. Wernle, to Stanley S. Wohl of Annapolis, Maryland in April 1939. $1,000-1,500.
Oil on canvas, 91.44 cm x 121.92 cm (36” x 48”), 2016. Private collection