American. <em>Table</em>, ca 1885. Horn, wood, silk velvet, 30 1/2 x 17 1/2 x 14 1/2 in. (77.5 x 44.5 x 36.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, H. Randolph Lever Fund, 83.26. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 83.26_bw.jpg)

American. Table, ca 1885. Horn, wood, silk velvet, 30 1/2 x 17 1/2 x 14 1/2 in. (77.5 x 44.5 x 36.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, H. Randolph Lever Fund, 83.26. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 83.26_bw.jpg)

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You're looking at a table from 1885 made of bull horns. In 1881, such furniture became quite the rage, and was primarily manufactured where ranching was prevalent. By the 1890's the novelty had wore off and furnishings with bull horns ceased to be popular.

Interesting. How'd they get so many horns?

Horns are a natural byproduct of the cattle industry, as they are inedible. It was a design motif that arose from an abundance of an unused material that was given to furniture companies that sprouted up near large slaughterhouses in Chicago and Texas.

Is this made of real horns?

Yes, those are real bull horns. There are forty-two in total. Furniture such as this was very popular in the 1880s/1890s, but interest faded pretty quickly.

It looks very rustic.

Definitely, what sort of person do you think would want furniture such as this in their house?

I imagine a cowboy. It doesn't look as fancy as the other furniture around it.

Great eye! This furniture was made with by-product materials not used by slaughter houses and was more popular in the mid-West and Texas, for example, than in urban New York City. On one hand, it utilizes a part of the animal that otherwise might not be, but interest in the style remained limited throughout the United States.

How many horns are in this table?

There are 42 bull horns in this table. The base is formed by 12 horns!

Tell me more.

These pieces of furniture were remarkable for being made from new and unusual materials. The armchair is made from cast iron, an innovative material for furniture in the early 20th century that allowed for ornate and open designs. Plants and nature were a common inspiration in the Art Nouveau movement. Behind it, there is a table made from 42 bull horns!

Table

Decorative Arts and Design

CULTURE American

MEDIUM Horn, wood, silk velvet

Place Manufactured: United States

DATES ca 1885

DIMENSIONS 30 1/2 x 17 1/2 x 14 1/2 in. (77.5 x 44.5 x 36.8 cm) (show scale)

MARKINGS no marks

SIGNATURE no signature

INSCRIPTIONS no inscriptions

COLLECTIONS Decorative Arts and Design

ACCESSION NUMBER 83.26

CREDIT LINE H. Randolph Lever Fund

CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Table, horn, wood, and silk velvet, composed of wooden top resting square wooden shaft, rising from horizontal square wood piece that rest on a single shaft of horn, supported on all sides by additional horns. Applied to the shaft, underside of base, and underside of Lower Square of wood are forty-two horns. Twelve are below the horizontal wooden piece and form base; thirty are attached above this piece and below the underside of the tabletop. Of that number six horns are actually made of two separate pieces each. Condition: Fair; top: poor condition. Velvet upholstery completely worn, virtually no original color left except around the edges of central medallion. Stains cover most of top. All of upholstered edges (side of top) are as above with tears and pieces of fabric hanging from the edges. Corner and edges of horn veneer badly worn with little original finish left. Base: central wooden shaft with pieces of applied velvet worn. Wood surfaces cracked with some peeling. Upholstery discolored, with diamond-shaped medallions worn with bent edges. Medallions near top shaft missing. Square horizontal piece forming base around shaft also badly worn and frayed velvet. Four horn semi-circles (one on each side) worn. Two of the four (two-part) horns touching the ground have lost small pieces of fabric ringing their centers. One has wooden wring around it, the other an exposed area where the two halves are joined. All horn surfaces worn. The underside of base with old repairs and screws replaced. Table wobbly.

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view

CAPTION American. Table, ca 1885. Horn, wood, silk velvet, 30 1/2 x 17 1/2 x 14 1/2 in. (77.5 x 44.5 x 36.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, H. Randolph Lever Fund, 83.26. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 83.26_bw.jpg)

IMAGE overall, 83.26_bw.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph

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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY

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