Among the finest treasures in The Met’s American Wing are magnificent feats of furniture by Gustave and Christian Herter (German, active New York, 1864–1906). Their esteemed New York–based design firm, Herter Brothers, helped define the lavish aesthetic of the Gilded Age: a period of unrestrained opulence that emerged in the late 19th century as wealthy American financiers and industrialists realized increasingly luxurious standards of living.
Art Jewelry Inspired by The Met
A spectacular Herter Brothers library table made for William Henry Vanderbilt between 1879 and 1882, now in the Museum’s holdings, serves as the inspiration behind our new Celestial Octagonal Magnifier Pendant Necklace.
Herter Brothers created sumptuous cosmopolitan interiors for enormously affluent Gilded Age figures such as Vanderbilt, who was then considered the richest man in America. The oldest son of the railroad baron "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, William Henry Vanderbilt inherited an immensely lucrative transportation business, which he expanded into an even larger fortune. This star-spangled table paid homage to Vanderbilt and his legacy by referencing styles and symbols from historic empires: lion-paw feet and stylized palmettes recall the marble furniture of ancient Rome; wreaths enclosing a star in each corner nod to Napoleonic heraldry; and globes on each end imply that Vanderbilt had the world within his grasp.
The tiny stars on our necklace echo the stellar motif on the table, which mirrors the constellations visible over the northern hemisphere on May 8, 1821, the day Vanderbilt was born. The Swarovski® crystals embellishing the border around the magnifying glass likewise nod to the Gilded Age taste for glamor and flash. The table, which was intended as a sculpture and monument to Vanderbilt, stood at the center of the library in his custom-built Fifth Avenue mansion, which Herter Brothers designed and decorated between 1879 and 1882.
The Met houses several pieces made by Herter Brothers for Vanderbilt’s mansion, including a console table, a pair of pedestals, and a pair of side chairs, each inspired by various historical styles and exhibiting exquisite artistry that incorporated valuable, exotic materials.
Previously, The Met Store reimagined the side chairs (ca. 1870) that were once displayed in Vanderbilt's boudoir as a collection of jasper jewelry (no longer available).
Furniture designed for the residence of the American industrialist Jay Gould as well as for the White House during the Ulysses S. Grant administration is also in The Met collection.
Though Herter Brothers catered to the American elite, their work consequently informed interior design for middle-class consumers, who sought to emulate the grand interiors featured in newspapers and magazines. These visionary creations, an eclectic confluence of multicultural styles, accorded with the American spirit.
Unique Gifts for Her
Shop the Celestial Octagonal Magnifier Pendant Necklace online and in-store at The Met Fifth Avenue.
