Elastic Chair

The son of a wheelwright, Samuel Gragg patented several techniques for making chairs with bentwood. Gragg’s technique used long strips of oak to form the curved back supports and the concave seat. These parts were made using steam and molds to bend the wood into exaggerated curves. According to Gragg’s patent application, the design rendered his chair “very elastic, very comfortable and agreeable to the person sitting in it.” Decoration such as the painted and gilded peacock feather on the back, and front feet painted like hooves helped this innovative design conform to the taste for classical-style furniture.