Taos Territorial Child’s Potty Chair with Later Steel Seat Cover, 19th C. View Watchlist >
- Winning Bid: $41.99
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- High Bidder: Lindas
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Lot # K308
System ID # 25026026
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Taos Territorial Child’s Potty Chair with Later Steel Seat Cover, 19th C.
A rare 19th-century Taos Territorial-period child’s potty chair, handcrafted in the distinctive New Mexico vernacular style. Constructed from solid native hardwood, the chair features mortise-and-tenon joinery, three shaped back splats, and robust square legs with double stretchers. The circular seat opening—originally designed to hold a small chamber pot—was later covered with a fitted steel plate, now richly oxidized. Hand-tool marks, worn edges, and remnants of old pigment testify to its long domestic life and handmade origins.
Chairs of this type reflect the practical ingenuity of Territorial-era carpenters, who adapted Spanish Colonial forms to frontier needs. This example, likely from the Taos region, embodies both cultural history and honest craftsmanship—an evocative survivor of early New Mexico household life.
Condition:
Good, with age-appropriate wear. Cracks, separations, and surface abrasions consistent with age and use. Rust and oxidation present on the steel seat cover. Structurally stable, with warm patina and strong visual character.
Dimensions:
Overall: 21" H x 15" W x 13" D
Seat Height: 9"
Seat Area: 15" W x 11½" D
Steel Cover: 7½" Diameter
Please Note: Soup for Scale in Photo
