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Slipper Chair

ca. 1855
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 736
The fanciful exuberance of this slipper chair attests to the artistic and technical skills of John Henry Belter and the artisans employed at his shop. The intricate pierced and carved composition of grapes and vines pushes the innovative techniques of laminating and bending wood to unprecedented heights. In an 1860 advertisement in the New York Times, J. H. Belter & Co. touted its furniture: "These goods are composed of from 7 to 21 thicknesses of veneers laid with the grain at right angles to each other, and are much lighter and more graceful, and five hundred percent stronger and more durable than furniture made in the ordinary manner."

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Slipper Chair
  • Maker: John Henry Belter (American, born Germany 1804-1863 New York)
  • Maker: or J. H. Belter & Co. (1854–1865)
  • Date: ca. 1855
  • Geography: Made in New York, New York, United States
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Rosewood, ash (secondary wood), modern upholstery
  • Dimensions: 44 1/4 x 17 1/2 x 16 1/2 in. (112.4 x 44.5 x 41.9 cm)
  • Credit Line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Ross Burch and Miss Jean McLean Morron, 1951
  • Object Number: 51.79.9
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

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Slipper Chair, John Henry Belter American, Rosewood, ash, American
Slipper Chair
John Henry Belter
ca. 1855
Slipper Chair, John Henry Belter American, Rosewood, ash, American
Slipper Chair
John Henry Belter
ca. 1855
Sofa, John Henry Belter American, Rosewood, ash, pine, American
Sofa
John Henry Belter
J. H. Belter & Co.
1850–60
Armchair
John Henry Belter
J. H. Belter & Co.
1850–60
Side Chair, John Henry Belter American, Rosewood, ash, American
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John Henry Belter
J. H. Belter & Co.
1850–60

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