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Mark Hopkins House side chair
Herter Brothersca. 1878–80
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
New York, United States
The back of inlaid open rectangular latticework surmounted by an incurved crest band inlaid with a rod with ribbons holding a banner, side stretchers separated with three circular voids, side supports, tapered legs and stretchers all with gilded incuse lines ; the yellow Chinese silk upholstery fabric of the period but replaced.
Details
- Title: Mark Hopkins House side chair
- Creator: Herter Brothers
- Creator Lifespan: 1860/1887
- Date Created: ca. 1878–80
- Type: Mark Hopkins House side chair
- Rights: Museum purchase from General Acquisitions Endowment Fund
- Medium: Rosewood, various woods (inlay), silk (of the period but not original)
- Viewing Notes: "Mark Hopkins House" Side ChairMade by Herter Brothers, New York, NY, ca 1878-80Rosewood, various woods (inlay), silk (of the period but not original)Museum purchase from General Acquisitions Endowment Fund, 2010-5-1This chair was made by the Herter Brothers as part of a large commission for railroad magnate Mark Hopkins’ San Francisco house, considered one of the Herters’ most important projects. It descended through the family of Hopkins' widow.
- Provenance: Provenance: Mary Frances Sherwood Hopkins to Edward F. Searles (1841-1920), her second husband (m. 1887) after death of railroad magnate Mark Hopkins. Searles, an interior decorator and architectural designer, was former West Coast sales representative for Herter Bros and inherited the bulk of Mary's estate upon her death in 1891. The three chairs were part of his Pine Lodge estate in Methuen Massachusetts; then by descent from the heir to the Pine Lodge estate to the last owner who sold them in East Moriches, NY in April 2008. All three, one of which has a pencil inscription "Hopkins" underneath the upholstery, were acquired and re-upholstered in antique period silk by Margot Johnson who offered this chair for sale. The Museum has been provided with a photograph of the inscription.
- Markings: Herter numbers #4649 on bottom of side stretcher
- Inscribed: photo of one chair in set shows pencil inscription "Hop.." for Hopkins
- Dimensions: H x W x D: 88.9 x 43.2 x 44.5 cm (35 x 17 x 17 1/2 in.)
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