Furniture Hardware

Art Historical Context

This elegant piece of furniture hardware was created by American artisan Henry Kellam Hancock between 1820 and 1830. Measuring just 2 1/8 inches across, the small gilt brass object reflects the refined metalwork that enhanced furnishings in early nineteenth-century American homes. Its compact scale highlights the precision required to produce functional yet decorative elements for daily use. The gilding technique applied to brass gave the piece a warm, golden appearance that mimicked costlier materials, making elegant details more attainable for households of the period. Such hardware contributed to the overall sophistication of domestic interiors, where even minor components played a role in conveying taste and craftsmanship. Now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s American Wing, this work entered the collection as a gift from Mrs. Edward Hunting Smith in 1968. It offers visitors a tangible connection to the material culture and skilled production methods of its time.

About the Artist

Henry Kellam Hancock · 1816–1851

Henry Kellam Hancock (1788–1854) was a prominent American cabinetmaker based in Boston, Massachusetts, where he contributed significantly to the city's early nineteenth-century furniture trade. Son of Captain Belcher Hancock and Ann "Nancy" Susan Ackers, he entered the profession as a chairmaker around 1816 and transitioned to cabinetmaking by 1826, maintaining workshops on Orange Street from abou...