Six Side Chairs
Walnut
Yellow pine secondary
Unknown maker
Roanoke River Valley, Probably Halifax County
Circa 1770-90
H 37.5″ W 19.5″ D
Sets of early southern side chairs rarely survive attrition through wear and tear, divisions of estates and a host of other challenges. This set of six 18th century walnut chairs descended in the Eaton Family and were recorded and documented by MESDA researchers in 1976 as S-6392A and S-6392B. They are also pictured and discussed in Bivins’ The Furniture of Coastal North Carolina 1700-1820 (pp 344-346). They remained in the Eaton Family Warren and Halifax Counties, NC until the passing of Mary Virginia Eaton Curran (1906-1996).
The chairs were likely made in Halifax County and are part of a larger group of Roanoke River Basin chairs. The Eaton chairs feature an unusual construction technique where the splat is pegged directly to the crest rail and shoe. Historic Hope Foundation has a chair in their collection, with a Halifax County provenance, with the same unique pegged splat construction and similar overall appearance to the Eaton chairs. (MRF S-24282).
Condition: The chairs survive in excellent condition, four with their original yellow pine slip seats. Two have replaced slip. Several chairs show evidence of old repegging and two chairs have minor repairs where stiles meet crest rail. All repairs are are consistent with age and use. All six chairs survive with old surfaces and patina and are full height (none tipped).
