Charleston, South Carolina or British, 18th century, with scrolled and leaf carved crest over a pierced splat and leaf carved rear stiles, leaf carved cabriole legs with ball and claw feet, mahogany throughout, quarter round front seat blocking and triangular rear seat blocking, 37 x 23 x 22 in.

Note: Distinctions between Charleston, South Carolina examples of this form and their British prototypes remain elusive. The lack of secondary woods in this chair makes an attribution or origin difficult. Rauschenberg and Bivins illustrate very closely related chairs, including a side chair with leaf carved rear stiles and closely related crest rail (see The Furniture of Charleston, 1680-1820, vol. I, pg. 336-372). The example offered here, with its fully developed carved cabriole front legs, would rank among the most fully developed examples from Charleston, if indeed it was crafted there.

good condition overall, some patches and probably plugged screws at attachment of rear seat rail to frame, cracks and minor patches at leg attachments, period slip seat probably a replacement, two knee returns replaced