Black-painted Ladder-back Armchair

Black-painted Ladder-back Armchair, New England, 18th century, the four shaped splats joining turned posts with applied arms ending in scrolled handholds, old black paint, (imperfections and paint wear), ht. to finial 44 1/4, seat ht. 13 1/2 in. Literature: The Impecunious Collector's Guide to American Antiques , by John T. Kirk, Knopf, 1975, fig. 97, p. 104. Kirk points out that the left rear post was twisted prior to construction, as evidenced by the varied widths of the slats.