Fan-Back Arm Chair

Fan-Back Arm Chair, Lancaster County, PA

The first American fan-backs were made in Philadelphia in the period just preceding the American Revolution.  They were made in an armchair as well as a side chair versions.

The distinctive feature of the fan-back is the turned stiles that initiate each side of the back structure of the chair.

The fan-back armchair differs from the comb-back arm chair in that the arms are mortised into the stiles as opposed to an arm rail that sweeps the entire chair.

The only bent piece in the chair is its crest rail.

A V-shaped back brace runs from the crest rail into a projecting tailpiece from the back of the seat.