Worthington Sofa

After British troops burned the President’s House in August 1814, the Madisons moved to temporary quarters, eventually settling into the Seven Buildings near 19th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Records survive detailing the purchases they made for this space, including carpeting and wallpaper. In addition to purchasing secondhand furniture, the Madisons patronized the shop of renowned Georgetown cabinetmaker William Worthington Jr. Worthington, who was previously hired to repair and value furniture at the President’s House, advertised ready-made and custom-order furniture; he supplied a desk bookcase, dining table, six chairs, two settees, and a couch on castors for the Madisons during this period. Surviving vouchers in the Miscellaneous Treasury Accounts at the National Archives record that Mrs. Madison retained the “couch on casters” by purchasing it from the federal government for $32. We presume the couch traveled to Montpelier in 1817 following the conclusion of Madison’s second term as president.

This mahogany sofa was made in Worthington’s shop ca. 1805-1815. The distinctive inlay and diminishing guilloche are typical of Georgetown furniture details in the period, and the seat braces and reinforced legs are similar to extant Worthington pieces. The sofa retains much of its original under-upholstery, webbing, and two bolsters.