I stumbled across a page with some information about the fantastic
grizzly bear chair that Andrew Johnson had in the
his library (the
Yellow Oval Room).
Made from two grizzly bears captured by Seth [Kinman]. The four legs and claws were those of a huge grizzly and the back and sides ornamented with immense claws. The seat was soft and exceedingly comfortable, but the great feature of the chair was that, by touching a cord, the head of the monster grizzly bear with jaws extended, would dart out in front from under the seat, snapping and gnashing its teeth as natural as life. This chair Seth presented to [President] Johnson, September 8, 1865.
Yes, the head would dart out from
underneath... natural as life....
I stumbled across a page with some information about the fantastic grizzly bear chair that Andrew Johnson had in the his library (the Yellow Oval Room).
That'd look good in the Blue Room.
ReplyDeleteThis chair should have been used in the State Dining Room during TR's administration, it's right up his alley. It would have gone so well with all the wall mounted animals. I can almost see him sitting in it at the head of the table.
ReplyDeleteInstructions for use:
ReplyDeleteSit well back in chair, cross legs. Be prepared for snapping bear.
Whitehouse.gov has a whole pile of Christmas facts/drawings/menus just posted. Can't wait for photos of the actual installation!!
ReplyDeleteThey showed the Blue Room Tree and the East Room Creche on the Today Show this morning. The tree is beautiful and the McKim sofa is back in the Blue Room. I'm thinking that perhaps it replaces the usual Bellange sofa, not just for recovering purposes, but because with its white and gold wood it blends into the wainscotting and allows the tree to be more prominent. Much of the other furniture is removed from the Blue Room.
ReplyDeleteI want that chair... : )
ReplyDeleteI'm assuming it would be exceedingly comfortable *before* the bear bites you...
ReplyDeleteThat chair is almost as awful as the swan settees in the foyer. There must be more McKim pieces lying around the basement to replace those two creepy benches!
ReplyDeleteWhy did you spell the name of
ReplyDeletePresident GHWBush's vice president
Quail..trying to be cute or
something. It is QUAYLE!
That litle girl with Bush in that
ReplyDeletephoto is not Jenna Bush..that is
Marshall Bush..Marvin Bush's daughter..
Check it out.
Thank you! With regard to the Veep, I'm a man of subtle humor but not that subtle. And with regard to Mrs. Bush's granddaughter, I'm not sure why I made that assumption; she wasn't identified in the original.
ReplyDeleteWhat ever happened to the grizzly bear chair?
ReplyDeleteI suspect it got sold off, probably as early as the Grant administration's high Victorian renovation.
ReplyDelete