Height: 85.8 cm x Width: 45.8 cm x Depth: 42.5 cm
This is a wooden chair made from walnut. It has a carved back rail, with cross rail curved in a cupid’s bow. There are small carved decorative elements on the back and cross rails. The front legs are turned, while the rear legs, angled backwards, are plain and connected to the chair back. The seat is covered with leather that is held in place with round, black, upholstery tacks. There are 4 corner brackets that are not varnished. An "E" has been written on one of the The bottom of the seat on the underside is covered in fabric, but the brackets are not. There is a small silver plaque on the apron of the chair reads, "PRESENTED TO // E. WATTS // COMMISSISONER 1981-1985 // PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION // KINGSTON".
(This copy possibly made by Gibbard Furniture Shops, Napanee ON) This collection of chairs is referred to as the “council chairs”. “ When the new Kingston City Hall was being furnished, Yeckley was hired to make a number of the chairs. A receipt dated April 29, 1843 states that the Common Council had paid him £1.7.0 for making six chairs. Several years later he designed and constructed the original twenty-four chairs for the Council Chamber, for which he received £4.16.0.” (Kingston Cabinet makers 1800-1867 by Joan Mackinnon, National Museum of Canada, Ottawa 1976). These chairs (or copies of them) were traditionally presented to retiring members of Council and senior City staff. 24 of them were refinished by Mr. John McLeary as a part of the 1973 City Hall restoration. The 24 side chairs were re-finished and re- upholstered but were not sealed with fabric (cover cloth) below the seat rail. This otherwise normal procedure didn’t happen because of existing (pre 1973) corner brackets. The chairs were also “completely re-glued and corner blocked with nails in lieu of screws” (Information sourced from a Dec. 14,1973 letter to T.J. McKibbin from W.M. Oliver).
