As some of us move into the third summer of working from home and spending most waking hours on dining room chairs, let’s be thankful that steer-horn furniture, such as this piece from the Missouri Historical Society’s collection, is no longer en vogue. Designed by Charles Fletcher circa 1890, the chair is emblematic of the horn furniture style that originated in—no, not the American West—Germany and gained popularity here in the 1860s. Average price then? Forty dollars, but there are pieces on eBay attributed to Fletcher going for more than $3,000. Back then, according to MHS, factories pumped out goods and shipped them west via rail, influencing those states’ material culture. The chairs sold well there. And designers often used the horns from cattle that were being sent to slaughterhouses anyway. Thoughtful—if only Mr. Fletcher had considered the humans who would use his design. Not even a back cushion, sir?
Turkey Luxe now serving soul food in Downtown West
An entrepreneurial family continues to build community through food.
