Convertible Settee
Maker
Chester Johnson
(1796 - 1863; active Albany, New York and New York, New York, 1819-20, 1826, and 1827-54)
Date1827-1830
MediumSoft maple, beechwood, yellow-poplar, cherry, rush, paint
DimensionsOverall: 35 x 80 1/8 x 24in. (88.9 x 203.5 x 61cm)
ClassificationsFURNISHINGS
Credit LineEmily Lowery Beardsley Bequest
Terms
Object number61.65
DescriptionSettee has rush seat, cyma curve arms and a double set of legs in front corners.On View
Not on viewCollections
Copyright<a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc/4.0/80x15.png" /></a><br />This work is licensed under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License</a>.
Label TextIn 1827 cabinetmaker and innovator Chester Johnson patented "an improvement in the manufacture of sofas." He advertised that his convertible settees combined economy and luxury. Johnson explained that his product "is constructed on principles peculiar to itself, with the size, strength, and convenience of the ordinary four poster Bedstead, it possesses the symmetry, beauty and finish of the ornamental parlor Settee or Sofa." The ornamentation for the convertible settee is based on painted fancy chairs. The settee is grained to imitate rosewood and features painted and stenciled gold decoration to simulate gilded brass mounts.
Although this example has been altered and can no longer function as a bed, it is clear that originally the front seat rail and first set of legs were meant to be pulled forward to draw out the extra section that thereby doubled the depth of the settee to form the bedstead.
ATD
Stenciled label located under each arm.
