davenport? Where did the term davenport originate?
CALL IT A SOFA OR COUCH OR DAVENPORT. DAVENPORT CAME FROM THE COMPANY WHO MANUFACTURED THE SOFAS OF THAT NAME (A.H.DAVENPORT CO.)
The word davenport has mysterious origins. It first appeared about l897, and it is thought to have come from a Davenport Compamy that made furniture. The English Chesterfield and the davenport are similar pieces of furniture. Oddly, there was a davenport desk that was also about the same vintage. There was also a china company by that name. My mother called it a davenport, I don't know if it was regional, or what. She grew up in Nebraska. The word couch is also an odd one, but that comes from Middle English couche, from Old French culche, couche, from couchier, to lay down, lie down Sofa, or sopha, an Arabic word used as early as 1625, raised section of a floor, covered with carpets and cushions, from Turk. sofa, from Ar. suffah bench. Meaning long stuffed seat for reclining is recorded from 1717. I call it a couch, or sofa, whatever happens to fall out of my mouth, lol!
I had no idea until I did a search, and Ju Ju had the correct info. I had forgotten the term, 'daveno' which our family used and 'davenport' before that. According to Wickipedia, 'daveno' was used mainly in the northwest. That was during the 50's at one location I lived. After my mom got a new designed couch, around 1958, it became a couch and no longer a daveno, or the earlier 'davenport'. I don't know when the word 'couch' became popular, but I know I used it when we all moved into a new house with a basement 'party room', and we had a couch in there. I never knew any- one use the term, 'sofa' in the nw. city I grew up in. Since in the early to mid 50's we used the word, 'daveno' toward two sectionals that if placed together, would make a stand- ard length couch, I wonder if that was the actual term for the shorter, two seater version of a 'davenport'. At my grandmas early house, she had a 'davenport' that was standard length, and was a puffy overstuffed couch, with very thick cushions. They mostly were during the 40's. I think it was 'comfort' not looks, as the desire when those were made. They were huge and heavy. And probably made to last a lifetime back then. And could have, had the 50's not brought in a modernization of living room furn- iture. Seems the newer, the cheaper components, and nothing holds up to last a lifetime anymore.
I segue between couch and sofa. Never did use the term davenport or 'settee' or chesterfield ? noun 1 Brit. an ornamental writing desk with drawers and a sloping surface for writing. 2 N. Amer. a large upholstered sofa. — ORIGIN sense 1 is named after a Captain Davenport, for whom a desk of this type was made in the 18th century; sense 2 is probably a manufacturer’s name.
Heh heh or a local term like daveno? Also in Ohio, some people call a sofa suite a sofa suit. Both used to drive me nuts,. Don't know where the term davenport came from--maybe they were first manufactured in Davenport , Iowa? (just guessing) I call it either couch or sofa. And then theres a chaise lounge and a fainting bench or couch.
