A specialized eighteenth century T shaped reading chair. There are medium colored wooden legs and tray. There are brass tipped T shaped leather upholstered arms which extend from the chair top, On one arm is a place for a candlestick. attached to the other arm is an implement to adjust a tray for reading or writing. When not in use the tray folds behind the chair back. The heavily padded brown leather upholstered seat and back are both rimmed with nailheads. The chair seat is broader in front and narrows to its rear to create a space on both sides to allow for astride seating. At the face of and below the deep upholstered leather seat is a rectangular nail headed rimmed storage drawer with keyhole. The front legs of the chair are cabrioled, while the simpler rear legs slightly curve back. The stretchers going from front to rear are angled to accomodate the narrower seat back and are modestly turned and blocked. The rear horizontal stretcher is densely turned. There is a simple mid horizonal stretcher.

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Object Timeline

1960	We acquired this object.
2006	We photographed this object. We photographed this object. We photographed this object. We photographed this object. We photographed this object. We photographed this object. We photographed this object.
2007	We exhibited this object.
2013	This was an Object of the Day.
2015	We photographed this object.
2017	We exhibited this object.
2023	You found it!

"Cockfight chair" Reading Chair

This is a Reading Chair. It is dated ca. 1720–30 and we acquired it in 1960. Its medium is turned and joined walnut, leather, brass, tin. It is a part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts department.

Much like cricket fighting, cockfighting is a blood sport between two gamecocks held in a ring. While this chair was intended as a specific piece of furniture dedicated to reading, it also became known as a cockfight chair, likely due to its capability for the user to safely sit with the padded back shielding them from the violence of the fight.

This object was featured in our Object of the Week series in a post titled Cockfight chair.

This object was donated by Mrs. Paul Moore. It is credited Gift of Mrs. Paul Moore.

Argyle Tea Rooms Armchair
oak.
Gift of David Byrne and Adelle Lutz.
1994-52-1

Hitchcock chair Armchair
painted, stencilled and gilded maple wood, caning.
Gift of Sarah Cooper Hewitt.
1931-43-112

Its dimensions are

H x W x D (Book rest and parts not extended): 92.2 x 77.5 x 72 cm (36 5/16 x 30 1/2 x 28 3/8 in.) Open (chair with book rest, candlestick and tray in arm extended): 106 x 95 x 96 cm (41 3/4 x 37 3/8 x 37 13/16 in.)

Cite this object as

"Cockfight chair" Reading Chair; England; turned and joined walnut, leather, brass, tin; H x W x D (Book rest and parts not extended): 92.2 x 77.5 x 72 cm (36 5/16 x 30 1/2 x 28 3/8 in.) Open (chair with book rest, candlestick and tray in arm extended): 106 x 95 x 96 cm (41 3/4 x 37 3/8 x 37 13/16 in.); Gift of Mrs. Paul Moore; 1960-164-16-a/c

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibitions The Virtue in Vice and IDEO Selects: Works from the Permanent Collection.

Short URL http://cprhw.tt/o/2Ct76/
Accession Number 1960-164-16-a/c
Object ID 18431709