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Sunday, March 2

March:  The History of Irish Crochet by Marie Neuman of Treasure Trove Antiques, Fine Linens and Laces

The "Golden Age of Oak" was roughly that time period from the 1860s through the 1920s.  With the United States expanding in both population and size, the need for furniture grew as well.  The vast oak and chestnut forests of the South, Midwest and New England provided the needed raw materials for furniture production.  It was also during this time that more and more furniture was being made in factories.  In the 1870s, steam-powered machines were being designed and built for mass production of furniture.  There were machines for cutting, shaping, planing, mortising, dove-tailing, etc.  Machines were also designed to do carvings in the wood, or to make stamped pieces that were then applied to the wood.  Not only did these machines allow for mass production, but they also allowed manufacturers the ability to use many different styles of designs on their furniture.

The major centers for oak furniture manufacturing were Chicago (for parlor furniture), Cincinnati (for dining and bedroom sets), and Grand Rapids, which produced the finest, most elaborate furniture in the United States.  Other manufacturing areas included Indiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Upstate New York.

Just as machines allowed for the mass production of oak furniture, the larger department stores in the East and Midwest began selling oak furniture in vast quantities.  Sears & Roebuck, Montgomery Wards, and others began selling oak furniture not only in their stores but also through mail order catalogues.  These catalogues would have page after page of oak furniture for sale.  Those prices would range from 75 cents for a dining room chair, to $75-$100 or more for bedroom sets, dining room sets, roll top desks, etc.

Another unique way of selling oak was done by the Larkin's Soap Company.  Initially they sold only soap, but as a promotional scheme for their business, they began including coupons with their products.  You could obtain a catalogue from Larkin and when you had enough coupons for a particular piece or pieces of furniture, you could then redeem the coupons and the furniture would be sent to you.  So popular was this program that the Larkin's Soap Company began to manufacture its own oak furniture.  Today, oak furniture made by Larkin is highly sought after and collected.

During this time period, oak was the wood of choice and was manufactured by many companies in various styles and designs.  There was the "Butterprint" or "Eastlake" design (usually early in the period 1860s-1880s).  There was the "Victorian" style which was often very elaborate.  The Horner Company made very fine and detailed furniture, which even in today's market can sell for thousands of dollars.  Their furniture was in the opinions of many the finest oak furniture made.  There was also the "Mission" and/or "Arts & Crafts" style of oak furniture.  This style was made later in the period (1900s-1920s) and reflected a more simple design style.  The Stickley brothers are probably the most well-known manufacturers of this style.  Their furniture is highly collectible and sought after.  In some cases, it commands prices in the tens of thousands of dollars.

In conclusion, antique oak furniture can be found in many styles and price ranges, and as any quality antique dealer will tell you, buy the best you can afford.  Good quality oak furniture will last a lifetime and can be handed down from generation to generation.  And as a reminder: Antiques are green, good for you and good for the environment.

   

 

 

St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition, although the exact origins are a mystery.  One popular legend contends that Valentine was a third century priest in Rome during Emperor Claudius II's ban on marriage for young, potential soldiers.  Valentine continued to marry young lovers in secret and, when his disobedience was discovered, was sentenced to death by Claudius.  According to the legend, Valentine fell in love with the jailor's daughter while awaiting death.  He signed his last love letter to her 'From Your Valentine' and a tradition was born.

Why February 14th?  Some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial.  Others say that the Christian church decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival, a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture.

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