Lot Essay
American interest in bamboo-style furniture and its ensuing popularity was a direct result both of the opening of Japan to the West by Commodore Matthew Perry in 1854, and the increasing fashion for related Japanese Aesthetic Movement design ideas. American retailers and manufacturers promoted the style heavily between 1875 and 1890, especially in urban centers such as New York City.
The business of R.J. Horner and Company was located on East 23rd Street in Manhattan. While their exact dates of manufacture have not been definitively established, Horner was nonetheless the largest local supplier of bamboo furniture. The company's principle competitors in this market were Nippon, Killian Brothers and C.A. Aimone.
While most documented Horner furniture is identified by a porcelain or paper label on the back or underside of the form, the desk and bookcase illustrated here is stamped on the inside of the desk drawer.
The business of R.J. Horner and Company was located on East 23rd Street in Manhattan. While their exact dates of manufacture have not been definitively established, Horner was nonetheless the largest local supplier of bamboo furniture. The company's principle competitors in this market were Nippon, Killian Brothers and C.A. Aimone.
While most documented Horner furniture is identified by a porcelain or paper label on the back or underside of the form, the desk and bookcase illustrated here is stamped on the inside of the desk drawer.