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Accession #	83.27
Maker	George Jacob Hunzinger
Title	Armchair
Date	ca. 1876
Medium	Walnut, steel mesh, fabric
Dimensions	33 3/8 x 21 x 18 1/2 in. (84.8 x 53.3 x 47 cm)
Marks	Impressed into proper left rear leg at rear, on diagonal, just behind seat: "PAT. A [loss where dowel has been repaired] 1876 / PAT. MARCH 30 / 1869 / HUNZINGER."
Inscriptions	no inscriptions
Signed	no signature
Credit Line	H. Randolph Lever Fund
Location	American Identities: Art Making / Centennial Era
Description	Armchair, steel mesh with fabric, stained in middle-tone with mainly turned parts, ebonized details and red fabric. Composed of rectangular back raised atop gently curving rectangular legs by two levels of turned spindles. Attached to each side of the back, an arm that begins parallel to the back then abruptly curves to a horizontal plane (each arm capped at each end by a turned cone). Supporting the front of each arm is a long diagonal front leg which is attached to the sides of the rectangular seat. Spanning the front legs is a stretcher that also supports two uprights that support the front of the seat. Condition: Good, original finish and worn. Some conservation work is evident. Replacement of dowels and glue repairs. See conservation report on file.

Curatorial Remarks: George Jacob Hunzinger was one of the first designers for whom the machine became an aesthetic influence. Indeed, the structural members of this chair, with its pared-down design, resemble parts of the machines used to produce it. This is a very early example of the machine aesthetic, which would become the norm in the early twentieth century.

Hunzinger secured twenty-one patents for the wide range of furniture that he designed, including folding and reclining chairs, flip-top gaming tables, and folding beds. He used the ideas of novelty and invention as selling tools and proudly marked each chair with the patent date.