Nickerson period, c. 1883

“At the Wednesday sale of Oriental porcelains collected by Brayton Ives Chicago.… The two most important purchases of the day were by S. M. Nickerson and Potter Palmer. Mr. Nickerson’s purchase was a temple vase of grand size … and is the most notable piece … that is known in any of the museums or private collections in this country.” — “Purchases Made By Chicagoans at the Brayton Ives Sale,” Chicago Daily Tribune, March 14, 1891

Nickerson was an avid collector of Oriental art, as can be evinced by the vast array of Chinese and Japanese ornaments that decorate the rooms of the house. The Dining Room sideboard and mantel were filled with a profusion of Oriental porcelains.