Southwood Roundabout

SECOND SOUTHWOOD OF HICKORY MAHOGANY CHIPPENDALE CORNER CHAIR WITH BALL-AND-CLAW FEET AND FLAME-STITCH SEAT - MATE TO THE PRECEDING LOT A mahogany corner chair, also called a roundabout or desk chair, matching the preceding lot in form, finish, and upholstery. The shaped horseshoe crest rail has scrolled carved arm terminals over two pierced interlaced splats, above a bowed seat rail and three carved cabriole legs ending in well-cut ball-and-claw feet, with a straight turned rear leg. The seat is upholstered in the same multicolor flame-stitch or bargello woven fabric in blue, red, green, gold, and cream. The underside carries a black dust cover with the Southwood crest paper label reading "Southwood - HICKORY, NORTH CAROLINA" and a printed "RECOMMENDED CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS / CONSUMER ALERT" tag; exposed corner blocks and frame joinery are visible around the seat platform. Flaws include a network of fine surface scratches and light scuffing across the crest rail and arms, nicks and rubs along the legs and seat rail, brown staining and soiling on the printed cleaning tag, and a few small loose threads and pulls in the flame-stitch fabric; the corner blocks show old glue and tool marks. UNTESTED - the chair has not been sat in, stress-tested, or checked for loose joints, and no assurance is given as to structural tightness or the condition of the seat platform under the upholstery. Sold as one chair. Description Form: corner or roundabout armchair, Chippendale style, three carved cabriole legs with a straight rear leg Carving: pierced interlaced splats, scrolled crest and arm terminals, carved knee scrolls, ball-and-claw feet Upholstery: flame-stitch or bargello-pattern woven fabric over the seat frame, matching the preceding lot Construction/Finish: mahogany or mahogany-finished hardwood, hand-rubbed dark finish, doweled and blocked joinery, black cambric dust cover on the underside Marks: Southwood crest paper label with "HICKORY, NORTH CAROLINA," and a printed "RECOMMENDED CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS / CONSUMER ALERT" tag; no model number or production date is legible Size: the underside frame measures approximately 18 in across and the front leg reads approximately 13 in on the tape frames; overall height is estimated at approximately 30 to 32 in with a seat height of approximately 17 in Southwood, of Hickory, North Carolina, was founded in 1973 to make museum-quality eighteenth-century reproductions and became the best-regarded American reproduction house of its kind, holding licensing agreements with Historic New England and Historic Deerfield, according to Furniture Today and Stenella Antiques. The firm was known for hardwood frames, hand-rubbed multi-step finishes, eight-way hand-tied springs, and down cushions, and it also traded as Southwood Reproductions. Southwood Furniture Corporation was sold in January 2013 and the company closed entirely in 2014, with the plant, patterns, and intellectual property sold at auction, as reported by Furniture Today and the Mecklenburg Times. That history makes this a late-twentieth or early-twenty-first-century bench-made reproduction rather than a period antique. The corner-chair form dates to the early eighteenth century and was used at desks and card tables; Southwood's interpretation follows the Philadelphia Chippendale manner with ball-and-claw feet. This chair and the preceding lot present as a matched pair, though nothing in the labels confirms they were purchased together. All period, maker, and origin comments are offered as the consignor's photo-based opinion and are not guaranteed. Bid on the item(s) as pictured. Notes for bidders Move the chair by lifting under the seat rail, never by the crest rail or the arms, and never drag it across a floor - ball-and-claw toes chip easily where they meet baseboards and vacuum heads. Keep it out of direct sun and away from heat vents, since dry heat opens the joints and fades the flame-stitch fabric. Skip silicone-based spray polishes on the hand-rubbed finish; a light paste wax once a year is plenty. Fine scratches like these can often be improved by a finisher without a full refinish, so get advice before doing anything yourself. If any joint feels loose on inspection, have it properly reglued rather than driving screws into the frame. Only the item(s) pictured are included in this lot. Terms Sold as-is, where-is, with no warranty expressed or implied. All sales final. Please ask any questions before bidding. Buyer is responsible for pickup or shipping arrangements per auction terms.