Made in New York: Pottier and Stymus Manufacturing Company

During the Victorian era, Pottier and Stymus Manufacturing Company was among America’s leading furniture and interior designers.
Made in New York: Pottier and Stymus Manufacturing Company
A detail of the Pottier & Stymus Manufacturing Company’s armchair, circa 1875–76, that was displayed at the 1876 Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. Public Domain
Updated:
0:00

New York City was America’s manufacturing center of luxury furniture and interior decorations during the late 1870s and early 1880s. The post-Civil War era boomed for U.S. industries producing high-end household objects, which coincided with an unprecedented residential construction spree spurred by national economic growth.

Pottier and Stymus Manufacturing Company was among the leading firms known for artistically beautiful and exquisitely made furniture and interior design schemes. They became one of the largest companies in the trade, employing many newly immigrated, highly skilled European craftsman. The company had a showroom and multiple workshops housed in Manhattan and, later, Queens.

Michelle Plastrik
Michelle Plastrik
Author
Michelle Plastrik is an art adviser living in New York City. She writes on a range of topics, including art history, the art market, museums, art fairs, and special exhibitions.