Designed by New York cabinetmaker Thomas D. Wadelton (1861-1931), this leather upholstered mahogany side chair was custom-made by S. Karpen and Bros. for the Russell Senate Office Building, which opened on March 5, 1909.

A standard set of furniture was made for each senator's suite and included a flat-top desk, a swivel desk chair, a round arm chair, a square arm chair, a small side chair, an easy chair, and a davenport.

For the project, S. Karpen and Bros. of Chicago, Illinois (under contract with George W. Cobb, Jr.) manufactured 125 mahogany small side chairs at a cost of $11.25 each. In 1933, when the office building was expanded, 12 additional chairs were manufactured in walnut by the Company of Master Craftsmen, Inc., of New York, New York (under contract with W.J. Sloane, Inc.). For ease of identification, the manufacturer's contract referred to the chair as "Type E."