Page 24 - May-JOA-22

The Courting

Chair

by Judy Gonyeau,
managing editor

hen two were courting in early 19th century France, John H. Belter Rococo
Revival rosewood carved
The Chaperone Chair
Victorian England, or during America’s Gilded Age, What may be termed as the and laminated tête-à-tête,
“Chaperone Feature” was an added
Wmaintaining one’s perceived virtue was paramount. chair ca. 1850-1860
seat placed in a propeller-like fashion
Keeping a pair of love-sick intendeds apart required not only a for even more careful observation of
chaperone, but special furniture. the couple. Chaperone Chairs made it
difficult at best for the couple to have
an intimate conversation unless the
chaperone is asleep or mostly deaf.
The Courting Chair
Typically, the Courting Chair is comprised of two chairs facing Napoleon had these chairs placed
opposite directions so the couple could converse without truly touching throughout his ministers’ apartments in the T
as a chaperone read on a nearby chair or did needlework. Also called Louvre, as if to encourage his advisors
a “conversation chair” or “tête-à-tête,” and sometimes referred to as a to eavesdrop on each other.
“gossip chair,” these chairs were designed to allow intimate
conversations to be had discreetly. Most have some type of “blocking”
The Courting Bench
feature, such as a shared arm placed between the two chairs. There were The elongated couch or bench
also Courting Benches that may or may not have a blocking feature. would feature two additional seats for
two chaparones, or what could end up
being two mothers-in-law to the

engaged. With nothing to impete the

couple staying close to one another,
this was sometimes considered the
correct piece of furniture to show off
the couple and future members of their
growing family.

The Settee
The “borne settee” is a sofa with separate armrests marking out
the four (or sometimes five) sections of seating. No drawing-room
during the Gilded Age was complete without one. The rich and newly-
rich were able to allow visitors a full view of the room's artwork and
A typical conversation settee architecture and fellow visitors to gossip about quietly with the sitter
next to them.

22 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles