The McKinley Armchair, by David Wolcott Kendall

Description

The McKinley Armchair was designed in 1894 by David Wolcott Kendall, and was manufactured by the Phoenix Furniture Company in … more The McKinley Armchair was designed in 1894 by David Wolcott Kendall, and was manufactured by the Phoenix Furniture Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Since President McKinley selected one for the White House, it has been known as The McKinley Armchair. The McKinley Armchair is now, or has been, exhibited in numerous museums, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art (coincidentally, with a similar hole in its cannage). It might be difficult to overstate the importance of this chair's design on the American Arts and Crafts movement. *

The McKinley armchair is an oak chair with gothic arches, wide armrests, diagonal arm supports, curved aprons, caned seat and back, and square spindles. It is so beautifully drawn with Moorish influence, and the innovative original fumed and stained malachite (green) finish is still evident over much of the chair. The triangular Grand Rapids Furniture Association trademark tag is still affixed underneath. (This triangular association trademark distinguished its members as makers of high quality furniture.) Also remains a partial tag upon which the printed year 1897 is legible. This is likely the patent tag as 1897 was the year the McKinley armchair design received its patent.

* As described in "100 Years of Furniture Design", by Barbara Garet:
"Probably the earliest Arts and Crafts furniture built in America was an 1894 chair made in Grand Rapids. David Kendall of the Phoenix Furniture Co. designed a simple, comfortable chair with a curved front apron, cane back and seat and wide armrests. Made of oak and stained green, it became known as the McKinley Chair after President William McKinley put one in the White House. The McKinley chair was in production for 30 years. Kendall was considered the dean of more than 200 designers practicing in Grand Rapids at the turn of the century. In 1928 the Kendall School of Design was established in his name." less