This is a classic example of a colonial style chair.
American history abounds with a plethora of varying furniture styles, all of which enjoyed popularity at different periods. Design styles common in Europe acted as the inspiration for much of American furniture, particularly in the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of early American furniture boasts a degree of unfussiness yet with a strong component of grace. Does this Spark an idea?
Queen Anne
Queen Anne style furniture was most common during the latter portion of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century. It is a style of furniture that you'll often find in American Colonial decor. Like Colonial decor in general, this type of furniture consists of wood with extremely simple carvings and decorative details. Common details with Queen Anne furniture are table and chair legs that have a convex curve at the tip and a concave curve at the bottom. Later on this style developed chair and table legs that consisted of a claw and ball at the end. This style is also known for tall boy chests of drawers, often with secret compartments and high-back chairs.
Sheraton
Sheraton styles of furniture were common in the latter half of the 18th century and were a common component of American Federalist style. Sheraton furniture boasts very clean, sharp but graceful lines and table and chair legs that are skinny and either perfectly straight or with a very slight curve to them. Thomas Sheraton, the designer who founded this style, believed in a simplicity and usefulness in furniture and sought to incorporate elements of Louis XIV's design style yet with a lesser degree of ornamentation.
Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch is a style of American furniture that debuted around 1720 to 1830. It boasts understated, functional country styles of furniture with a palpable Germanic influence. Bright folk paintings on the pieces are one of the distinguishing marks of such furniture. The furniture has straight lines, few carvings, ladder or slat-back chairs and round or mushroom-shaped wooden knobs. Made of wood, this furniture consists mostly of black walnut, oak or pine.
Hepplewhite
The British cabinetmaker George Hepplewhite founded the Hepplewhite style, which, according to the website Connectedlines.com, displayed a "...delicate appearance, tapered legs, and the use of contrasting veneers and inlay." The style uses both straight lines and curves, half moon shapes, and oval and horseshoe chair backs. Furniture often boasts brocade or damask upholstery as well as brass combined with reddish wood types, such as cherry, mahogany, maple and rosewood.
Tags: American furniture, legs that, Queen Anne, 18th century, chair legs