Can anyone tell what this leaf is?

[MedWoodWorx]

Hello all, i ve fell in love with a chair (don't laugh, it happens) and i would like to emulate this design on a pen.
The owner told me it is us made, from boston. My guess is that it depicts a tobacco plant; maybe a wealthy plantation owner (or a tobacco merchant)used it..? Anyway if anyone has a clue please let me know, cheers.

 

[Ted iin Michigan]

Pineapple?
Found this on the net: "Displaying a pineapple at home was a sign of wealth and luxury, as the fruit was rare and expensive. As time passed, pineapples started gracing the entrances of homes, and were carved into bedposts, stair railings, and other home furnishings, always representing warmth, friendship, and hospitality."

 

[MedWoodWorx]

Thats amazing! It looks like a pineapple to be honest, thank you for your input.

 

[PreacherJon]

Hello all, i ve fell in love with a chair (don't laugh, it happens) and i would like to emulate this design on a pen.
The owner told me it is us made, from boston. My guess is that it depicts a tobacco plant; maybe a wealthy plantation owner (or a tobacco merchant)used it..? Anyway if anyone has a clue please let me know, cheers.

 

[leehljp]

Reminds me of tobacco plant pictures. We never had tobacco in the Mid-South, and didn't pay attention when traveling through Kentucky a few times. But as far a pictures it does look similar, here is one:

Greenwood Tobacco - Victory Seeds® Tobacco Store

A flue cured type tobacco; used as for chew, snuff and cigarette blending tobacco.

victoryseeds.com

 

[sorcerertd]

While it somewhat resembles pineapple crown, there is no actual pineapple (as in the picture @PreacherJon posted). It was (is?) certainly a popular flora to carve in furniture.

The tobacco I see growing in NC has large leaves, but there are certainly different varieties. One thing that I can tell you about tobacco is that it smells wonderful curing in a barn! It's such a sweet smell. I think it stinks when it is actually being smoked, though. I wonder if I could get that effect from a few leaves drying in the shop?


Here are some that might be representative of what's on that chair back

This is what the fields look like around North Carolina. It's still a pretty big business around here.

 

[Woodchipper]

Lived in Central KY in one of the biggest tobacco markets in the South. Cut many a stalk...hardest work I've ever done.

 

[hooked]

I was bored...and curious so I googled the chair picture. It seems the chair is from a company called American Signature and comes from their West Indies collection. Looks like it came from the early 2000's.

This fantastic dining room table and chairs by American Signature have ornate carving and detail. Tabletop is a beautiful burled veneer, over a paneled, basket weave rattan edge sitting atop a pedestal comprised of a large carved pineapple and tapered base, over large gold tone feet. Chairs are designed with a carved shield – back, in a motif of carved and pierced leaves with sloped arms and turned tapered legs, also in a fasces design. Chairs are upholstered in a sand and white palm leaf design.