Further information from the collector:
The two BCHS chair pictures you posted are interesting.
Chair 01, I believe to be a typical “Red Chair” from Milford CT, 1760-1770 by John Durand or Samuel Durand I. Detailed discussion of similar chairs is in “Hearts & Crowns” by Robert F. Trent, published by New Haven Historical Society, 1977; see figure 36. It would be interesting for BCHS to know how the chair went from Milford CT to New Jersey & your collections.
Chair 02 is the chair illustrated in American Furniture 1995, article by Neil Kamil, fig 32 page 223; and also in American Furniture 2001, article by Eric Gronning, fig 34, page 111. Neil Kamil footnote says the chair descended in Schuyler and Dey families of N.Y. & N.J. and is in the Dey Mansion, Wayne Township. (This information is incorrect, the chair was never in the Dey Mansion and not known to be from the Schuyler & Dey families)
The connection between the chairs is in the source of the turnings, in Southwestern France with the Durand and Coutant families, migrating to the Long Island sound region, Weschester and Milford CT. The two articles detail the link and sources of early New York chairs (and Milford) and is too long to post here.
