The splat back was always used, in spite of the French, and its treatment is one of the most interesting things in the history of English furniture.
The splat never ran into the seat, but was supported on a cross rail running from side to side a few inches above the seat.
Chairs had square or round or oval backs, and they also used a lyre-shaped splat which was copied later by Sheraton.
The chairs had a narrow, fairly high back, with a central splat spoon-shaped and later fiddle-shaped.
The chair backs slowly changed in shape, becoming broader and lower, the splat ceased to be inlaid and was pierced and carved, and the whole chair assumed the shape made so familiar to us by Chippendale.
They were more open backed than in Charles's time and had two uprights and a spoon-or fiddle-shaped splat to support the sitter's back.
His characteristic chair back was rectangular in shape with a central splat resting on a rail a few inches above the seat (see page 83).
The center splat was solid at first, but soon was pierced and carved, and went through the many developments of his style such as ribbon-back, Chinese, and Gothic.
Illustration: This fine example of a Queen Anne lacquered chair shows the characteristic splat and top curve, the slip seat narrower at the back than front with rounded corners, and cabriole legs.
The tops were slightly curved, also the tops of the splats, and at the lower edge where the back and the splat join, a half rosette was carved.
The top of the Dutch chair had a flowing curve, the splat was first solid and plain, then carved, and later pierced in geometrical designs; then came the curves that were used so much by Chippendale.
This splat was in many different forms, both inlaid and painted.
The fiddle-shaped splat of 1710 marks a turning-point in the construction of the chair.
By the time that the fiddle splat had become popular the stretcher joining the cabriole legs commenced to disappear.
Sometimes they eliminated the splat altogether, while adopting other points of design found in chairs with the Queen Anne splat of 1710.
The work in the splat is slightly suggestive of Welsh carving, especially that style associated with Welsh love-spoons.
It was therefore natural that in the farmhouse examples the plain Dutch splat would readily find favour as more easily executed.
The type of splat indicates the date of Windsor chairs.
The back shows the transition from the lath back (such as in the chairs simulating the cane-work) to the splat back.
The splatback and the cabriole leg give the date, and the specimen is a noteworthy example.
The splat of the original is nicely inlaid, but it is impossible to adequately reproduce this in a photograph.
It will be found that in the latter the top of the back is curved so as to fit the nape of the sitter's neck, and that the splat is shaped to suit itself to the back and shoulders.
Very soon he used instead the ball-and-claw foot, with or without the underbrace, and with the more ornamental foot the splat became pierced and carved and very ornate and rich.
Up to this time the splat had joined the back of the chair and served to make it much stronger, but Hepplewhite never brought it down to the seat, usually having it curved and joining the side rails three or four inches above the seat.
This foot is used with the solid splat and the spoon-shaped back with rounded ends to the top.
The top rail takes more or less of a cupid bow shape, and the central splat fills in the inclosed space.
In architecture, a turned or square upright support for the rail of a balustrade; in furniture, a splat with the outlines of a baluster.
Gradually the proportions were refined, a shorter and squarer back with rounded corners was developed, and the splat was replaced by a richly carved member.
Splat" or upright center bar, passing from plaint splat to jar shape pierced and carved with scrolls and foliage, and culminating in the elaborate ribbon back.
When his potatoes were high enough for hoeing Will told his wife Mary, who kept the garden in order, to hoe the 'splat of petates,' and be sure to hoe them clean.
Job never had such a splat of black petates in his life!
