Armchair. Culture: American. Dimensions: 33 1/2 x 27 x 28 in. (85.1 x 68.6 x 71.1 cm). Maker: Herter Brothers (German, active New York, 1864-1906). Date: 1881-82.William H. Vanderbilt, son of Cornelius "Commodore" Vanderbilt, inherited a vast fortune and a lucrative transport business, which he expanded exponentially, becoming one of the wealthiest men in America. In 1879, to mark his elevated social and economic status, he built a mansion that spanned an entire city block on Fifth Avenue, between Fifty-First and Fifty-Second Streets. He commissioned Herter Brothers, one of the premier cabinetmaking firms in New York City, to decorate and furnish his home. In devising distinct decorative schemes for each room of the mansion, Herter Brothers drew inspiration from a wide range of historical styles and utilized expensive, exotic materials.The house's original furnishings were dispersed when the residence was redecorated between 1915 and 1916, and at the time of its demolition in 1946.