1980s Hickory Chair Company Sheraton Empire Chinoiserie Inlaid Mahogany Sofa

In 1911, the Surry Chair Company was moved to Hickory, North Carolina. A name change was adopted to reflect the new location, and now, more than a century later, Hickory Chair is still one of the finest manufacturers of quality furniture in the world. It is also one of the few producers of furniture left in the United States. This sound and sturdy settee is a superb example of their craftsmanship from the late mid-century. The design was part of Hickory Chair Company’s ‘James River Collection’, and it was one of their most popular pieces for several decades. This petite sofa was in magnificent shape when we acquired it — aside from the fact the original upholstery had long seen its best days. The nicely reeded legs with their beautifully inlaid wood and the classic simplicity of the Sheraton form called for a striking and elegant upholstery fabric. A shop in Japan supplied us with this exquisite print which features white cranes and gold dragons on a dark red background. Hues of teal green can be found in the trees. The print is flanked on the sides (and rear) of the settee with a sophisticated gold polished cotton. (This material tended to reflect light in the photos such that it appears a brassy, yellowish color on many computer monitors. It is gold — not yellow, not brassy, not mustard, but gold. Polished cotton has the sheen of satin, however, it tends to be more subtle and refined than most satin fabrics. Because of the light-reflecting qualities of this fabric, our photos are not an adequate representation of this fine gold fabric.) This piece measures 34 inches high at the crest, and the seat height is 18 inches. It is 28½ inches deep and 54 inches wide (arm to arm exterior measurements). Please note: all computer monitors show colors slightly differently. We have done our best to photograph this settee in a variety of light conditions in order to get pictures that would be as true as possible to the colors in the new upholstery fabrics. The red background in the material is not a burgundy or maroon. It is a deep shade of red. The gold is not a yellow, mustard, or orange. It is gold. It is not a metallic gold; however, it matches well with the somewhat metallic-appearing threads in the crane and dragon material.