Early 20th-Century American Colonial Revival Quartersawn Oak Double Vasiform Back Splat Settee

Description

Excellent Pre-Owned Condition.

Incredibly fine-looking quartersawn oak settee with an attractive vasiform double splat back that offers excellent support. It … more Excellent Pre-Owned Condition.

Incredibly fine-looking quartersawn oak settee with an attractive vasiform double splat back that offers excellent support. It rests upon slightly curved front legs with cuffed feet and square flared back legs; H cross stretcher adds stability and structural integrity. The upholstered oval inset seat is in very nice shape. It appears recently refurbished with cushioning that is taut and supportive. The lovely neutral floral and foliate motif of the textile used to upholster the seat has a soft hand and will complement most any design scheme. We believe this beauty was made sometime in the early 20th-century but it could be a bit older. It measures 40” x 40” x 19½” H/W/D; seat 39” x 17¼” W/D; seat-to-floor height 17¾”; back 40” x 24” W/H; arm height 9¾” x 13” arm length; weight approximately 75 lbs. Handcrafted from 100% quartersawn oak with a natural wax finish that, over the years, has allowed a beautifully aged patina to develop and highlight the gorgeous flecks of the quartersawn oak wood grain. In excellent condition with age appropriate “bumps and bruises” of life type of wear. Over the years several joints have been reenforced with wood glue to prevent wobbling and several of the tapered flat top “wood plugs” that cover the screw head holes are missing (see photo 4 on the back and photo 3 on the left arm) which does not affect the beauty or integrity of the settee. There is no makers mark to be found. The winsome look-and-feel of this traditional beauty will add character and style in any space, from entryway to picturesque window in a sitting room or library.

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Did You Know?
Quarter sawn lumber, mostly oak, produces its outstanding pattern by cutting across the medullary rays. In a hardwood tree, the vertical grain carries moisture to the leaves but something has to feed the only living layer of the bark, the soft liner called the cambium. The medullary rays, actually horizontal grains, do this. When a log is quarter cut it exposes these rays as flecks or flakes. These flecks are called “tiger’s eyes” or “cat’s eyes” because of the shape. So, all the beautiful oak with all those wonderful flake patterns are the result of a clever method of turning timber into lumber. While all timber, not just oak, can be quarter sawn to produce stable flat boards, only oak produces the magnificent tiger eye pattern. And not all oak trees produce equal patterns. The most distinctive patterns are produced in lumber cut from the oldest, biggest trees that have had hundreds of years to develop the medullary ray system. Younger trees, while they have the rays and can produce the pattern, do not produce the striking examples seen from wood cut a hundred years ago. One last point, lumber cut with most of the grain at 90 degrees to the surface does not cup and warp. It will be a board with a long straight grain pattern on the surface that will remain flat over most of its useful life. less