Steer Horn Armchair
1870–80
Horn, silk, brass, and upholstery
SEE IT IN PERSON
Not currently on view
In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026
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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG
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.
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