MakerPossibly
Johann Michael Jahn (American, born Prussia, 1816–1883)American, born Prussia, 1816–1883
CultureAmerican
Titles
- Footstool
Datec. 1860–1870
Made inNew Braunfels, Texas, United States
MediumBlack walnut
Dimensions8 1/4 × 15 1/4 × 10 3/8 in. (21 × 38.7 × 26.4 cm)
Credit LineThe Bayou Bend Collection, gift of William J. Hill
Object numberB.2007.20
Current Location
Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens
Texas Room
On view
Explore Further
Department
Bayou BendObject Type
Small footstools seem to have been popular among Texas Germans during the 19th century and were often used in conjunction with rocking chairs. This example features a top with serpentine curves on each side, which are echoed by the front and bottom profiles of the skirt. These features, along with its compressed cabriole legs, combine to make this an exceptionally energetic example.
Adapted from Lonn Taylor and David B. Warren. Texas Furniture: The Cabinetmakers and Their Work, 1840–1880. Vol. 1, rev. ed. Austin, Tex.: University of Texas Press, 2012.
ProvenanceVon Coll House, New Braunfels; descended to Winifred D’Albini McKee; collected by [Eva Woosley, New Braunfels]; purchased by William J. Hill (1934–2018), Houston; given to MFAH, 2007.
Exhibition History"A Texas Legacy: Selections from the William J. Hill Collection," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, October 2, 2016–January 2, 2017.
Cataloguing data may change with further research.
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Johann Michael Jahn
c. 1855
Black walnut; black walnut veneer, pine, and modern upholstery
B.2010.8
c. 1700–1730
Black walnut, undetermined burl veneer, and eastern white pine; eastern white pine, black walnut, yellow-poplar, cherry, Cuban oyster wood (Gymnanthes lucida), and chestnut
B.69.42
c. 1760–1800
Black walnut; black walnut, yellow-poplar and Atlantic white cedar
B.69.78