From Library Journal
Gustave Herter fled to America in 1848, followed by his brother, Christian, in 1859. By 1875 the furniture from the "Herter Brothers" shop was in great demand by America's wealthiest families, who were decorating in the opulent style that would give the era the name "Gilded Age." This first in-depth study of the unique style and creations of the Herters, who worked with exotic woods and ornate inlay combined with ebonizing and gilding, is published in conjunction with an exhibit that will tour Houston, Atlanta, and New York. Lavishly illustrated with 167 black-and-white photos of historic interiors and 133 color plates, including many close-ups of their detailed work, this volume clearly shows why the Herters were wooed for their furnishings by J.P. Morgan, Jay Gould, Theodore Roosevelt, and all the Vanderbilts. Fine supplementary reading for those who enjoyed the Wharton novel and Scorsese film The Age of Innocence; highly recommended.
Joseph Hewgley, Nash-ville P.L.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Joseph Hewgley, Nash-ville P.L.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Experts in the field of decorative arts contribute historically detailed essays to this fine book, serving as a catalogue for a recent exhibition that pays a long overdue tribute to the lavishly crafted furniture and art objects of Christian and Gustave Herter. If the Herter brothers' name is not as well known as such contemporary designers as William Morris, this book will be a fitting introduction to the exquisite work they produced. Many of the gilded, ornately carved, and marquetry-embellished cabinets, chairs, and tables pictured here adorned residences of prosperous patrons--J. P. Morgan, William Vanderbilt, and the White House, among others. In numerous color photographs and vintage images depicting entire interiors designed by their firm, this beautiful study gives duly merited attention to the Herter brothers' legacy. Alice Joyce
