Armchair

William H. Vanderbilt, son of Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt, inherited a vast fortune and a lucrative transport business, which he expanded exponentially, becoming one of the wealthiest men in America. In 1879, to mark his elevated social and economic status, he built a mansion that spanned an entire city block on Fifth Avenue, between Fifty-First and Fifty-Second Streets. He commissioned Herter Brothers, one of the premier cabinetmaking firms in New York City, to decorate and furnish his home.
In devising distinct decorative schemes for each room of the mansion, Herter Brothers drew inspiration from a wide range of historical styles and utilized expensive, exotic materials.
The house’s original furnishings were dispersed when the residence was redecorated between 1915 and 1916, and at the time of its demolition in 1946. Many of these items have come to light only in recent years.
Perhaps the most remarkable discovery from the drawing room is this lady’s bergère (armchair) with its original upholstery, which was paired with a larger gentleman’s bergère. On the sides of the chair, two opposing griffins, whose wings spread to connect at the center, flank a shield-like motif and mother-of-pearl roundels framed by sinuous rope-like elements. The boldly turned legs are in the form of a stylized lotus. The voided and red silk cut velvet on a gold ground in a Chinese style, with elaborate tufted trellis trim over red silk fringe and gold cording, is an extraordinary survival.