A popular material in the early 19th century, woven cane was an economical alternative to solid wood or upholstered seating. It was also æsthetically pleasing, durable and unattractive to pests. Skilled craftsmen bored holes into the seat and sides, and separate subcontractors—sometimes prison inmates—often wove the caned seats. Among other New York furniture, a rare, matched-pair of 19th century caned récamiers with iconic arabesques of carved mahogany are represented in the permanent collection of the Columbia County Historical Society.