Herter Brothers

William H. Vanderbilt, New York, 1881
Cornelius Vanderbilt III, New York, 1885
Margot Johnson, Inc., New York
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Edward Strahan, Mr. Vanderbilt's House and Collection, vol. 4, pt. 1, Boston, 1883-1884, n.p.
George William Sheldon, Artistic Houses, Being a Series of Interior Views of a Number of the Most Beautiful and Celebrated Homes in the United States, vol. 1, New York, 1883, reprint ed. 1971, p. 116
Arnold Lewis et al., The Opulent Interiors of the Gilded Age, New York, 1987, p. 117 (for a period photograph showing this model in situ in the dining room of the Vanderbilt House, circa 1883)
Katherine S. Howe et al., Herter Brothers: Furniture and Interiors for a Gilded Age, New York, 1994, pp. 204-205 (for another chair from this dining suite in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and for an alternate period photograph of the Vanderbilt dining room showing this model in situ)
Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen, "Christian Herter's decoration of the William H. Vanderbilt house in New York City," The Magazine Antiques, March 1995, pp. 414 and 415 (for a period photograph showing this model in situ in the dining room of the Vanderbilt House, circa 1883)
Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen, "Artistic Furniture of The Gilded Age: Herter Brothers and the William H. Vanderbilt House," Antiques & Fine Art, 16th Anniversary (Spring 2016), p. 169 (for another chair from this dining suite in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and for an alternate period photograph of the Vanderbilt dining room showing this model in situ)

Please note that seven examples of this chair are known to exist, and not two as stated in the printed catalogue. Overall in very good condition. The wood surfaces have been sensitively revarnished and present with scattered scuffs, scratches, and dents, concentrated to the outer edges and consistent with age and use. The joints with minor seam separations, stable and not visually distracting. The scroll detail on the proper right backrest frame with a hairline crack measuring approximately ¼ in., stable. The central scroll detail below the seat on the proper right stretcher with one slightly loose element. The central scroll detail below the seat on the proper left stretcher with a few hairlines, stable and not visually distracting. The scroll detail near the rear proper left leg with minor seam separations and is slightly loose.The leather upholstery has been replaced and presents minor rubbing, fine cracks and scuffing consistent with gentle use. The square wooden decorative trim elements have been replaced. As visible on the catalogue illustration, five elements are detached from the upholstery, supplied with the chair and could be reattached and one element is missing. The brass screw to the proper left of the backrest illustrated as missing in the catalog is also intact and is supplied with the chair. The brass elements with minor surface oxidation and a few minor runs to the clear lacquer. An exquisitely crafted chair with intricate detailing throughout, originally from the William H. Vanderbilt House.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This chair was commissioned by William H. Vanderbilt for the grand dining room of his châteauesque mansion at 640 Fifth Avenue, New York. While the dining room originally held at least eighteen chairs, the present lot is one of seven from this dining suite known to have survived; another example is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (accession no. 1994.80).