Description: Where do I begin? You are looking at one of the most important examples of American Pre-Revolution furniture. It is attributed to the shop of Edmund Dickinson of Williamsburg, Virginia.
The “honeysuckle” motif on the settee’s crest rail connections also has the “husk” just below it. These Rococo designs and its basic form all point to the Chippendale design. We also find similar design motifs from examples used in “Southern Furniture 1680-1830”, the Colonial Williamsburg Collection by Ronald L. Hurst and Jonathan Prown (pgs. 112-114 #26 side chair) The second recorded example is an early photo example of a side chair in “The Standard Book of AMERICAN ANTIQUE FURNITURE” by Edgar G. Miller, Jr. (Greystone Press, New York, NY, Copyright 1937-Copyright 1950 (#180, pg. 169) This description is and early and rather vague.
Settees are broken into two groups, those with backs and those without. The early settees (without upholstered backs), were like having two or three chairs side by side with the same seat. The soft curved Chippendale back of this settee and the carved New York Bellflower motif, which runs along the crest and sides, are all part of the new Palmyrian taste. It could have been carved by George Hamilton who was an English carver employed by Dickinson in 1774.
Now, what makes this piece so important? This is an undiscovered piece of Pre-Revolution American furniture made in Williamsburg, Virginia. First, not having passed through our prestigious auction houses, the great American furniture buffs are unaware of its existence. Secondly, in our thirty-eight years of collecting true Americana, we have never seen such a clean and untouched example of Early American furniture. The only losses we are aware of, are that the seat cushion is not the original and there are a few places where the finish is lost. As far as we can tell, it has never had any restoration.
We did have the woods analyzed and found they are Mahogany, Oak and Ash, all of which were commonly used in Dickinson’s construction. There is no label or any signatures on the settee.
The piece was acquired from a Sea Island, Georgia estate in the late 1990’s, and we have been searching and studying it since that time.
I have been asked over and over again, “Why don’t you take it to New York, to the auction houses and get the big money for it?” There comes a time in our lives when we want to do something ourselves. First, we need to promote our own business, not that of someone else. Next, it gives that discreet collector a chance to negotiate and acquire an important piece of America without having to tell the world of the transaction.
This piece requires serious collectors and I don't want to waste your time or ours. Visitation is available upon request. Please feel free to send your inspectors or experts to examine our settee and we look forward to further discussions in this regard.
If one has any further questions or would like us to supply other images( which we have many) of this article please don’t hesitate to email us. We will do our best to accommodate your request as soon as possible.
Status: For Sale
Condition: Excellent Year: 1774
Country: America Maker: Edmund Dickinson-George Hamilton
Height: 37.5 in. (95.25 cm) Depth: 23 in. (58.42 cm)
Width: 64 in. (162.56 cm)
Title: pre-Revolutionary American Furniture Style: "New Palmyrian Taste"
Materials: Mahogany, White Oak, & Ash Type: Three chair-back Settee
