The New York decorating firm Herter Brothers produced some of the most sumptuous furniture and interiors of the Gilded Age. This center table is a superlative example of the Japanese-inspired furniture the firm introduced in the mid-1870s. Christian Herter spent time in Britain and was knowledgeable about the design reform movement, which privileged forthright forms and stylized, linear decoration derived from historical or natural sources. On this table, the flat planes, turned spindles, incised details on the legs and stretcher, and abstracted leaves and flowers reflect design-reform sensibilities. Christian also had an extensive collection of Asian art and may well have appropriated design motifs from objects or prints in his possession. Here, the chrysanthemums, butterflies, and birds, and even the palette of black and gold, reference Japanese lacquerware and textiles. Although the original owner of the table is now unknown, the profusion of inlaid and carved details indicates that it was a custom order intended for what must have been an equally lavish setting.