What Is a Davenport Sofa?

History of the Davenport

• The Davenport was originally a line of sofas designed by A.H. Davenport Company in Boston. The now-defunct company, developed by Alfred Henry Davenport, focused on custom-made furniture. The first Davenport sofa was introduced in 1887. As the Davenport brand grew in popularity, the name Davenport became a general representation for a sofa.

History of the Sofa

• Although individuals have been building and sitting on leisure furniture since the times of the Greeks and Romans, the term "sofa" did not enter the European lexicon until the 17th century. The term came from the Arabic word "suffah," which referred to a long bench designed for reclining. The Germans introduced modern sofas with wooden frames stuffed with horsehair and feathers. These sofas were considered luxurious and elite. The industrial revolution resulted in the mass production of sofas, which lowered their cost and made them available to the middle classes.

Description of a Davenport

• A Davenport can refer to a regular sofa, or a multi-cushioned seating device typically found in a living room. The term Davenport can be applied to futons or sofas that can pull out into beds or sleeping devices. The original Davenport sofas from A.H. Davenport Company can be found at some antique auction houses. These were made with wooden frames of oak or mahogany and were available in several styles ranging from modern to colonial.

Use of the Term Davenport

• Since World War II, the term Davenport has become less widely used as a word interchangeable with sofa. It is most commonly used colloquially in the Midwest region of the United States. The term is also most widely used by individuals who grew up during the World War II era.