The Houses and Collections of Marjorie Merriweather Post

A celebration of philanthropist Marjorie Merriweather Post’s passions for her residences and personal collections, reflecting centuries of some of the finest treasures in the world. Marjorie Merriweather Post (1887–1973) was an extraordinary person, not only for being the head of a major corporation but also for overseeing elegant and well-run residences and amassing collections of astounding beauty. Including portraiture, imperial Russian tableware, Fabergé creations, stunning garments and jewelry, books, and rare objects in gold, silver, and porcelain, Post’s works of art were acquired with intelligence and acuity. She was inspired by past royal and aristocratic patrons as well as countries that she admired: France, Russia, England, and Austria. This publication illustrates the evolution of Post’s collections and her interactions with dealers, artists, artisans, and architects. The backdrops for her treasures—residences in New York, the Adirondacks, Palm Beach, and Washington, D.C.—are depicted with period and newly commissioned photography. Recent scholarship focusing on the highlights of her trove of exquisite objects sheds new light on Post’s legacy as a twentieth-century collector.