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Couch from the set of The Oprah Winfrey Show in Harpo Studios

African American Museum

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    Object Details

    Manufactured by

    Dakota Jackson, American, born 1949

    Used by

    Harpo, Inc., American, founded 1986

    Designed by

    Dakota Jackson, American, born 1949

    Description

    A sectional leather couch or sofa, used by Oprah Winfrey and her guests, from the set of The Oprah Winfrey Show at Harpo Studios in Chicago, Illinois (2016.7.7.1ab - .3ab). The couch is upholstered in a light yellow leather. The couch sections fit together to form a semi-circular shape. Two (2) sections are for sitting, the proper left (.1ab) and the proper right (.3ab). The center section (.2ab) is topped with a removable cushion. Underneath the center cushion is a table top which Winfrey and her guests could use to hold cups or other items. The design for this custom couch is based on the Dakota Jackson Cosmoledo line.
    2016.7.7.1ab: The proper left section of a 3-piece curved sectional yellow leather couch. This end section (.1a) is a customized version of the Cosmoledo club chair, with a curved back and a flared arm on its proper left side only. The contoured chair back slopes upward towards the proper left corner, away from the center of the seating configuration. The chair back and cushion are heavily padded, with less padding on the armrest. The seat cushion (.1b) is square, with a zipper at the back to insert or remove the cushion. The underside of the cushion is covered in a tan cloth fabric. The spring decking is covered in the same tan cloth fabric. The cushion secures to the chair on its back and side with strips of Velcro (TM). The couch section has four (4) tapered wood feet, one on each corner, which are painted yellow. Two (2) metal forks on the underside of the proper right side connect this section to the center section. The forks have tines with teeth ridges on the inside with a small release catch, and are set on a swivel.
    2016.7.7.2ab: The center section of a 3-piece curved sectional yellow leather couch. This section (.2a) is a wedge shape, intended to fit in between other sections to create a curved couch. The section has a rounded and heavily padded chair back, with no arm rests. The seat cushion (.2b) is a triangle shape, with a zipper at the back to insert or remove the cushion. The underside of the cushion is covered in a tan cloth fabric. Underneath the cushion is a wood tabletop, in the same triangle shape as the cushion, painted yellow. When the cushion is removed, the table can be used to hold drinks or other items for Winfrey and her guests. The cushion does not attach to the tabletop below. The couch section has three (3) tapered wood feet, one on each corner, which are painted yellow. On the underside of the proper left side, two (2) metal wedges connect this section to the section on its proper left. Two (2) metal forks on the underside of the proper right side connect this section to the section on its proper right. The forks have tines with teeth ridges on the inside with a small release catch, and are set on a swivel.
    2016.7.7.3ab: The proper right section of a 3-piece curved sectional yellow leather couch. This end section (.3a) is a customized version of the Cosmoledo club chair, with a curved back and a flared arm on its proper right side only. The contoured chair back slopes upward towards the proper right corner, away from the center of the seating configuration. The chair back and cushion are heavily padded, with less padding on the armrest. The seat cushion (.3b) is square, with a zipper at the back to insert or remove the cushion. The underside of the cushion is covered in a tan cloth fabric. The spring decking is covered in the same tan cloth fabric. The cushion secures to the chair on its back and side with strips of Velcro (TM). The couch section has four (4) tapered wood feet, one on each corner, which are painted yellow. Two (2) metal wedges on the underside of the proper left side connect this section to the center section.

    Credit Line

    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Oprah Winfrey

    Date

    2002; reupholstered 2015

    Object number

    2016.7.7

    Restrictions & Rights

    No Known Copyright Restrictions
    Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

    Type

    sofas

    Medium

    leather, cloth, polyurethane foam, wood frame, metal springs and Velcro (TM)

    Dimensions

    H x W x D ((.1ab-.3ab) OVERALL): 34 1/2 × 90 × 50 in. (87.6 × 228.6 × 127 cm)
    H x W x D (.1ab): 34 1/2 × 34 1/2 × 37 in. (87.6 × 87.6 × 94 cm)
    H x W x D (.2ab): 33 1/2 × 28 × 38 in. (85.1 × 71.1 × 96.5 cm)
    H x W x D (.3ab): 34 1/2 × 34 1/2 × 37 in. (87.6 × 87.6 × 94 cm)

    Place used

    Harpo Studios, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States, North and Central America

    See more items in

    National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

    Classification

    Props and Set Design

    Exhibition

    A Changing America: 1968 and Beyond

    On View

    NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Concourse 1, C1 053

    Data Source

    National Museum of African American History and Culture

    Topic

    African American
    Communication
    Entertainers
    Mass media
    Television

    Metadata Usage

    CC0

    Link to Original Record

    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd53fd510a7-ff9d-47cb-98cb-5f3d6079b157

    Record ID

    nmaahc_2016.7.7

    Discover More

    TV slate with program information from KTTV Los Angeles

    Television

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