The Glasgow rose - An Arts & Crafts hallmark, Adopted by Gregory Paolini Design

 Woodworking Tips from Gregory Paolini
Information, Tips,  and Know-how for woodworking Enthusiasts

What is "Real" antique Stickley furniture?

Text & Photos by Gregory Paolini

Years ago, I was watching a movie in which the lead character refers to a Morris chair as a "Stickley Original".  It seemed like an honest comment, but what exactly did he mean?
Most people familiar with Arts & Crafts know of Gustav Stickley.  Gustav was essentially the pioneer of the American Arts & Crafts style, which we typically call Mission or Craftsman furniture.  
But did you know that Gustav had 10 siblings?  And that five of them, including Gustav, went into the field of making furniture?  Which leaves us asking: What is real Stickley?
   
Family Tree - And it's branches
Gustav and four of his brothers, Charles, Albert, Leopold, and James George, all entered the furniture business.  Around 1880, they all worked under the same roof in Binghamton, NY at the Stickley Brothers company.  Over the next decade, the brothers split off to pursue their own businesses. 
 
Gustav, the eldest of the brothers, is generally credited for the popularity of Arts & Crafts furniture in the United States.  Gustav not only sold furniture, he also promoted  a  lifestyle, rooted in simpler, more honest living.  And Gustav shared his views of the Arts & Crafts philosophy with The Craftsman, a magazine he published.
Gustav's furniture was made mostly by hand, although machines were employed when they would not compromise the integrity of the pieces.  And the quality of all the work which came out of the company was paramount, with pieces built "to the best of his ability."  Gustav made furniture until 1915.
   
In 1901, Leopold and James George formed the L&JG Stickley company in Fayetteville. NY.   Much of their early work was similar to the work of Gustav, although their later pieces did make a significant mark in arts & crafts.  The company focused on quality and integrity of the pieces.
Today, L & JG Stickley furniture is owned by the Audi family, and is based in the Syracuse, NY area.  The modern day Stickley factory is a direct descendant of the L&JG Stickley company, and the Mission Furniture line was reintroduced in 1989.  Today, this is the only company producing genuine Stickley furniture.
  
Brother Albert moved to Michigan and founded the  Stickley Brothers Company of Grand Rapids.  The company duplicated Gustav's work at first, but quickly altered their "Quaint furniture" designs to reflect more of the Glasgow style, for roughly a decade. 
In the mid-teens of the twentieth century, Albert's company introduced a new line of Arts & Crafts inspired furniture, with a heavy Austrian influence.  The line was much lighter in design, and less expensive.  It was intended to help the company remain successful, while the demand for Arts & Crafts declined, but it saw a limited lifespan.  Stickley Brothers of Grand Rapids ceased making furniture in the 1930's 
   
Charles, the second eldest, stayed in New York and operated Stickley & Brandt furniture.  Most of their designs were direct copies of Gustav's, although the quality was less than desirable.  
Stickley & Brandt focused on cost cutting, and many of their methods resulted in poor quality pieces made from cheap materials, with questionable production methods.  Stickley and Brandt   ended production in 1918.
   
Would the real Stickley please stand up
So technically, there were four different companies which made "Stickley" furniture, to varying degrees of design, style, and quality from the end of the nineteenth to the early twentieth century.  From a collectors stand point, generally the most coveted of the Stickley Furniture is that made by Gustav's company, and the L&JG Stickley Company, although each company may have individual pieces, which dependent on condition, rarity, and market demand, could represent a significant asset to the owner.
If you have a piece of Antique Stickley furniture, I would recommend that you seek out a scholar or reputable auction house to determine its value, as well as any type of restoration that should be performed on it.
   
Now let's make sawdust!

 

 

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