Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

KITCHEN CHAIR

Date Range From

1930

Date Range To

1940

Materials

WOOD

No. Pieces

1

Height

92.5

Length

43.5

Width

44

Description

GREY WEATHERED WOODEN CHAIR WITH TWO CARVED SPINDLES ACROSS THE FRONT, AND FOUR SPINDLES UP THE BACK ATTACHING TO THE TOP RAIL. THE WOODEN SEAT IS CRACKED IN HALF, AND THE SPINDLE ON THE LEFT SIDE IS MISSING. SURFACE OF CHAIR IS VERY DIRTY AND MARKED UP.

Subjects

FURNITURE

Historical Association

FURNISHINGS

History

ACCORDING TO DONOR CHAIR CAME FROM UPSTAIRS OF THE VICTORIA ROOMS, WHICH WAS APPARENTLY A BROTHEL IN LETHBRIDGE. CHAIR WAS FROM THE WAITING ROOM OUTSIDE THE A NUMBER OF OR FIVE ROOMS ABOVE THE RESTAURANT. *UPDATE* IN 2010, NICOLE HEMBROFF, COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF PALLET RACKING. SHE CONTACTED THE DONOR TO GAIN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHAIR. HIS COMMENTS ARE BELOW: ACCORDING TO DONOR AB CHERVINSKI, THE CHAIR CAME FROM A HOUSE OF PROSTITUTION LOCATED ON 3RD AVENUE AND 3RD STREET SOUTH IN LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA, OPERATED BY LILY WHITE. CHERVINSKI ACQUIRED THE CHAIR WHEN HE WAS LIVING WITH MR. JOHN A. SUPINA AT 1319 5TH AVENUE NORTH. FROM APPROXIMATELY 1939 TO 1940, CHERVINSKI WAS A MESSENGER BOY WORKING AT THE TELEGRAPH OFFICE AND HE DELIVERED TELEGRAPHS TO LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW WAS TELEGRAPH OFFICE MANAGER W.R. RUSELL. ONE SUCH LOCATION WAS A LOCAL BROTHEL LOCATED ON THIRD AVENUE AND THIRD STREET. WHEN HE WOULD DELIVER TELEGRAPHS TO THE BROTHEL, HE WOULD OFTEN SEE MEN WAITING IN THIS CHAIR. THE CHAIR SAT IN THE WAITING ROOM OF THE BROTHEL. THERE WAS ONLY ONE CHAIR SO THE MEN DIDN’T HAVE TO SEE ONE ANOTHER WHILE WAITING FOR ONE OF THE PROSTITUTES. ACCORDING TO CHERVINSKI, THE MEN WOULD SMOKE CIGARETTES AND EXTINGUISH THEM ON THE UNDERSIDE OR SIDE OF THE CHAIR – LEAVING BURN HOLES IN THE WOOD. LATER, SUPINA PURCHASED THE PROPERTY THE BROTHEL WAS ON (310 3RD ST. S.). SUPINA KNEW CHERVINSKI COLLECTED ANTIQUES, THUS SUPINA ASKED CHERVINSKI IF HE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE CHAIR. CHERVINSKI ACCEPTED THE CHAIR. HE STORED IT FOR A WHILE IN HIS OWN PERSONAL COLLECTION OF ANTIQUES. LATER HE DONATED IT TO THE GALT MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES. *UPDATE* IN 2015 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON DEVELOPED A BIOGRAPHY OF AB CHERVINSKI, THE DONOR OF THIS OBJECT, WITH INFORMATION FROM LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLES FROM 1982, 1989, AND 2011. ADAM ABRAHAM 'AB" CHERVINSKI WAS BORN ON FEBRUARY 24, 1920 IN LETHBRIDGE. AS A TEENAGER HE WORKED AS A MESSENGER BOY FOR THE CPR TELEGRAPH OFFICE. CHERVINSKI BRIEFLY LIVED IN ONTARIO DURING HIS SERVICE WITH THE AIR FORCE, BUT RETURNED TO LETHBRIDGE WHERE HE WORKED FOR ALBERTA GOVERNMENT TELEPHONES FOR 37 YEARS. HE WAS A LIFELONG COLLECTOR OF ANTIQUES, AVID LOCAL HISTORIAN, AND HEAVILY INVOLVED IN MUSICAL THEATRE. AB CHERVINSKI DIED ON JUNE 2, 2011. SEE PERMANENT FILE P19970107001-GA FOR HARDCOPIES OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLES ABOUT CHERVINSKI. *UPDATE* IN 2018, COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT ELISE PUNDYK CONDUCTED AN ARTIFACT SURVEY, WHICH INCLUDED A NUMBER OF ARTIFACTS DONATED BY ADAM ABRAHAM CHERVINSKI. EXTENSIVE RESEARCH CONDUCTED TO LOCATE THE DONOR'S LIVING NEXT-OF-KIN WAS UNSUCCESSFUL.

Catalogue Number

P19970107006

Acquisition Date

1997-10

Collection

Museum

Less detail