United States House of Representatives: History, Art, & Archives
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Walter Chair

A chair with an ornate, carved wooden frame, maroon cushions on the back and armrests, and gold casters/tiles/collection/6/6590.xml
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Close up of a shield with three stars and stripes carved in wood at the top of a chair frame/tiles/collection/6/6591.xml
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A wooden chair with casters and a wooden desk, both elaborately carved/tiles/collection/6/6592.xml
Download this image
A chair with an ornate, carved wooden frame, maroon cushions on the back and armrests, and gold casters
Close up of a shield with three stars and stripes carved in wood at the top of a chair frame
A wooden chair with casters and a wooden desk, both elaborately carved
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Date

1857

Artist

Thomas Ustick Walter

Manufacturer

Hammitt Desk Manufacturing Company

Dimensions

40 x 25 1/2 x 25 in. (101.6 x 64.8 x 63.5 cm)

Accession Number

2006.017.000

Credit Line

Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives

Object Details

The 131 chairs produced by the Desk Manufacturing Company of Philadelphia for the 1857 opening of the new House Chamber were designed to be convertible, depending on the weather. This beautifully restored chair (called a Walter Chair, for its designer Thomas Ustick Walter) is fitted with a cane seat suitable for the warmer months of a congressional session.

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Walter Desk
Walter Desk

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House Chamber 1857–1950: Furniture
House Chamber 1857–1950: Furniture
Office of the Historian: history@mail.house.gov
Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk: art@mail.house.gov, archives@mail.house.gov