Steer Horn Armchair

1870–80

Artist unknown (American, 19th century)
Texas

Although furniture made from the horns of steer, elk, and deer is rooted in European tradition—it is known to have been used in 16th-century German hunting lodges—it reached the height of its popularity in America in the 1880s. Not only did chairs like this one evoke the romanticism and pioneering spirit of the American West, they also employed innovative, exotic materials that were prized during the Aesthetic movement. Lavishly upholstered, this diminutive example was most likely intended for a parlor.

Status: On View, Gallery 175
Department: Arts of the Americas

Artist: Artist unknown
Title: Steer Horn Armchair
Place: Texas (Object made in)
Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.: c. 1870–1880
Medium: Horn, silk, brass, and upholstery
Dimensions: H.: 92.7 cm (36 1/2 in.)
Credit Line: Gift of Jamee J. and Marshall Field
Reference Number: 2000.12
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