Sofa

This sofa's elegant lines and restrained carving are typical of the best early-19th-century Neoclassical furniture produced along the eastern seaboard. During this period, New York replaced Philadelphia as the preeminent American center of furniture production. The sofa's detailed construction, refined carving and sophisticated design indicate that it was manufactured by an accomplished furniture maker, probably the renowned New York cabinetmaker, Duncan Phyfe, or one of his competitors. Born in Scotland, Phyfe popularized Neoclassical furniture in America. Here, swagged drapery and tassels, flanked by beribboned lightening bolts, decorate the sofa's top rail. Composed mainly of linear elements, the frame is softened by the graceful bow of the arms, which curve inwards.