Seldom has serendipity been more opportune than it is with the exhibition of 19th-century furniture from The Heritage Society, now at One Allen Center. The furniture is normally displayed in nearby Sam Houston Park, in the historic 1847 Kellum-Noble House, Houston's oldest surviving residence, which is being renovated. Instead of simply putting the furniture temporarily in storage, The Heritage Society and Arts Brookfield decided to put it on public display.
The furniture is shown here in a well-lit room on the second-floor lobby, and so offers even better chances for viewing than usual, as the historic house has a considerably darker interior.
Many of the pieces were hand-carved in the mid-19th century by German craftsmen, whose skill and dedication are clearly evident. Most striking was a walnut crib featuring spindles to protect the child from falling out, as well as spindles on the four corner legs. It clearly was designed to be decorative as well as functional, and serves both purposes admirably.
Mondays-Fridays, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Starts: Oct. 3. Continues through Dec. 31, 2014