American, possibly school of William Savery, Philadelphia, Queen Anne carved trifid foot arm chair, c. 1755; walnut, with yellow pine seat frame. Serpentine incised crestrail with scrolled ears, over a shaped and beveled splat; shaped arms with scrolled grips over molded, incurvate arm supports; trapezoidal slip seat and cyma-curved front apron with center point; through-tenon construction at rear seat; octagonal rear legs, and front cabriole legs ending in trifid feet. 42 1/4" H x 24 5/8"W (at knees) x 20 1/2" D (at feet); seat height 17 1/4". Acquired from Leigh Keno Antiques in 1997 for $34,000. A copy of the receipt and accompanying letter from Keno to John and Tina McWhorter is available to winning bidder. Keno noted in his letter that the trifid foot on this armchair is characteristic of the Philadelphia region after about 1730, and may have been brought to America by Irish craftsmen (ref. David Stockwell, "Irish Influence in Pennsylvania Queen Anne Furniture" in PHILADELPHIA FURNITURE AND ITS MAKERS, ed. John L. Snyder, New York, 1975, p. 25-57). For a related form, see Christie's, January 25, 1993, lot 206. A William Savery signed side chair with closely related high straight sided plinth on the splat and scrolled apron is illustrated in Sack II, p. 432, no. 1077, and a closely related armchair with central shell to crest is in the collection of the Baltimore Museum of Art (ref. AMERICAN FURNITURE 1680-1880 by William Voss Elder III and Jayne E. Stokes, 1987, p. 24 fig. 10).

PROVENANCE: The Tina McWhorter Trust; from the collection of John and Tina McWhorter, Memphis, Tennessee.

CONDITION: Small (1/2") replacement to tip on one side of splat. Surface appears to have been cleaned sometime in the 20th century. Scattered scratches, shrinkage, and abrasions, particularly to rear legs, and one 1/2" scuff to hand rest. Retains Leigh Keno gallery label to interior of rear seat rail.