If you are a R.J. Horner Renaissance Revival fan, you should hop over to RJHorner.com and read the two latest Horner attribution-debunking posts:
Another Horner is actually Robert Mitchell
Moving onto another genre, the Aesthetes in the audience may be interested in this ebonized chair which is currently being bid up to $510. I think original upholstery may be on this one:
Moving on to Renaissance Revival, we often see big bulky furniture being attributed to Thomas Brooks on slim evidence. In this case, I think we are a hair better than slim. There are documented examples of bedroom furniture by Brooks with carved heads emerging from the crests, usually cherubs (see “American Furniture of the 19th Century 1840-1880″ page 204, Richard and Eileen Dubrow). One could point to several other design elements and compare them to documented Brooks pieces, but I will leave that to the well-initiated. The high-end marble also points to one of the better makers having made this piece. I have inquired with the seller if this “Thomas Brooks” piece has a stencil bearing the name…
Also, I think that the seller’s description missed the presence of maple in the construction as it is not all Walnut. Certainly, a nice dresser if the big battle wagons of the era are what you collect.
