Chair presented to William Smith O'Brien by friends and admirers in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, 1859. Made by N.R. Harris. Back: Oval shield supported between tree trunks with lopped branches, shield with motto: What matter that at different shrines we pray unto one God. MDCCCLIX. On shield, female figure holding harp with round tower r, entwined with shamrocks, inscribed Erin at the base. Shield rests on crossed pike and blunderbuss, with broken chain at crossing point. Above shield, crossed flags, l. USA dated 1776, r. Irish Volunteers 1782. Above crossing point is a silver shield recording presentation, set on a similar background. Two dowel holes suggest that a piece is missing above the shield. Upright trunks terminate at stone towers surmounted by crouching wolfhounds, tower battlements with the names Emmett on l., O'Connell on r. Outside trunk l., sword with part of hilt missing inscribed on blade Sarsfield; outside r., wavy bladed dagger with part of hilt missing inscribed Ed. Fitzgerald on blade. The lopped branches bear inscriptions, l. from top: Tone, 1802, Mangan, O'Gorman, Layne. On r.: Grattan, 1829, Steele, Duffy, Dillon. Inscribed on base of trunk: l. O'Mahony, Doheny, r. O'Dougherty, O'Donohoue. Centre base between trunks, a hill inscribed Tara. Back carved from two conjoined pieces of oak, with separate back to oval shield, and a small wedge-shaped piece applied to back of silver shield to help support the missing piece. The arms are trunks with lopped branches bearing names l. Meagher, Davis, Reiley, 1798; r. Mitchell, McManus, Martin, 1848. Seat padded green leather held by dome-headed upholstery nails. Front: centre, O'Brien shield with three lions passant guardant (reversed from usual O'Brien arms). Banners either side bear names l. Washington, r. Jackson. Carved heads at corners, l. Brian Boru with date 1014, r. St Patrick with date 464. Front legs terminate in claws, that on l. partly missing. Back legs rounded with foliate design, that on l. partly missing. Silver shield inscribed by A L Helm.