The Morris County Historical Society is selling a very early 19th c. Classical sofa donated by a descendant of Declaration of Independence signer Lewis Morris to fund future acquisitions.  This sofa has been displayed in Acorn Hall’s second floor hallway, but its stately 90 inches impedes traffic. MCHS’s mission is collecting artifacts of local history. This New York piece was recently owned by the Chief Engineer for dePont Nemours, Wilmington, DE.  It has seen better days and it was time to say goodbye.

It’s provenance from a Morris family descendant makes this work a great addition to any history-lover’s collection. Post American Revolution, the style of the day evokItse French interpretations of the Greek and Roman aesthetic.  a fantastic addition New York furniture designer, the sofa’s most outstanding features are four inward-curved dolphin feet embellished with gilding.

The elegant form and skilled carving of the dolphin’s scales, together with gilt decoration suggests a respected New York maker.  The leading cabinetmakers of the day were Duncan Phyfe, Charles-Honore Lannuier, and Deming and Bulkley.  A similar example lives in the Red Room of the White House. The sofa will be exhibited and sold at the Magnusson Estate Sale September 13 and 14, 2019 in Harding Township, Morristown, NJ.  Visit their website (TheMagnussonGroup.com) for details.