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This photograph shows an ornate wooden turned armchair with a triangular seat supported by three legs and reinforced by a wooden fin attached to the back leg. The two front arms of the chair have turned details above seat height and are rounded at top. At the pointed back of the triangular seat are a total of nine carved rods that support the upper back. Four thick spindles connect the upper arms to the backrest. Many rods and roundels make up the back of the chair, which is topped with six vertical elements.

"The President's Chair"; Turned Great Chair

Unidentified Artist

British

This chair was first used by Rev. Edward Holyoke (1689-1769), President of Harvard 1737-1769, and may have been obtained by him. In John Singleton Copley's portrait of Edward Holyoke (See object number H6 in collections online), Holyoke is depicted seated in this chair.

European ash with later American oak handgrips

Furniture