The Houses and Collections of Marjorie Merriweather Post

Marjorie Merriweather Post was an extraordinary person for her time, not only for being the head of a major US corporation but also for overseeing elegant and well-run residences and amassing collections of astounding beauty. Encompassing portraiture, imperial Russian tableware, Faberge creations, stunning garments and jewellery, books, and rare objects in gold, silver, enamel, porcelain, ivory, and glass, Post s works of art were acquired with intelligence and savvy. As a collector, she was inspired by past royal and aristocratic patrons as well as countries that she adored: France, Russia, England, and Austria. This publication illustrates the evolution of Post s collections, as well as her interaction with a multitude of designers, dealers, artists, artisans, and architects with whom she worked. The backdrops for her treasures residences in New York (a 54-room triplex apartment), the Adirondacks (Camp Topridge), Palm Beach (Mar-A-Lago), Washington DC (Hillwood), and on Long Island, among others are depicted with period and newly commissioned photography. Post was actively involved with the international art world of her time, and her taste and lifestyle had an effect on her family members and many admirers. Recent scholarship focusing on the highlights of her trove of exquisite objects, including Western European and Russian paintings, decorative arts, jewellery, and costume, shed new light on Post s legacy as a twentieth-century collector.