William King, Jr.
Armchair
c. 1818
Physical Qualities
Mahogany, ash, tulip poplar, maple, brass, replacement upholstery, 41 1/8 x 25 5/8 x 22 1/2 in. (104.5 x 65.1 x 57.2 cm.)
Credit Line
Friends of the American Wing Fund, and The Richard C. von Hess Foundation Acquisition Fund
Object Number
1998.504
This chair was made in the late 1810s for the White House, the official home of the United States president, using local ash wood and other materials. Ash trees grow in abundance in Maryland and were key resources for early furniture makers. Today, the ash tree is under threat from the emerald ash borer beetle. Native to Asia, the beetle arrived in the United States through global shipping and made its way to Maryland in 2003. The insect’s larvae feed on the tree’s bark, killing the entire plant. Ash trees account for about 10% of Baltimore’s current tree population, and if the spread of the beetle is not controlled, the city could lose 100,000s of trees, significantly impacting the local ecosystem.
The Baltimore Museum of Art by purchase, 1998; Hirschl & Adler Galleries, Inc, New York, 1996-1998; Ford family by descent, until 1996; John T. Ford (owner of Ford's Theater), Washington, DC; White House Collection, Washington, DC 1818-1873
Singleton, Esther, 'The Story of the White House,' New York, McClure Company, 1907, ill. p.128; Bishop, Robert, 'Centuries and Styles of the American Chair 1640-1970,' New York, E.P. Dutoon & Company, 1972, p.308 no.503; Golovin, Anne Castrodale, 'Cabinetmakers and Chairmakers of Washington, D.C., 1791-1840,' The Magazine Antiques, May 1975, CVII, p. 901, ill. p. 902 fig. 6; Golovin, Anne Castrodale, 'William King Jr., Georgetown Furniture Maker,' The Magazine Antiques, May 1977, CXI, p.1032-1037; Hurst, Ron L. and Prown, Jonathan, 'Southern Furniture 1680-1830,' The Colonial Williamsburg Collection, New York, Harry N. Abrams.
On View: American Wing Second Floor, Scott 06
