Amish furniture

Amish furniture is a distinctive style of furniture made by the Amish primarily of Ohio and Shipshewana, Indiana. It is known for being made of 100% wood, usually no particle board or laminate is used, and there is great attention paid to the details of the wood in the furniture-making process. Each piece of wood is hand-selected to match the specific furniture in mind. Attention is paid to the grain of the wood, both in gluing pieces together and in achieving the desired look of the finished piece. Amish furniture is also valued for its sustainability. The Amish woodworkers pride themselves in their work and view their products as both a pieces of art and furnishings to be used and lived in for generations.

History

Amish furniture first gained attention in the 1920s, when early American folk art was "discovered", and dealers and historians placed great value upon the beauty and quality of the pieces. Many different styles of Amish furniture emerged. The Jonestown School began in the late 18th century in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. The Jonestown School is most widely known for painted blanket chests decorated with flowers on three panels. Examples of these chests are on display at both the Smithsonian Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Another distinctive style of Amish furniture is the Soap Hollow School, developed in Soap Hallow, Pennsylvania. These pieces are often brightly painted in red, gold, and black. Henry Lapp was a furniture maker based in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and it is his designs that most closely resemble the furniture we think of today as Amish-made. He was one of the first to abandon the painted, Germanic-style influence in his furniture and opted for an undecorated, plain style, following more the styles of Welsh furniture making of the time. The order book he offered to his customers contained watercolor paintings of his pieces and is now in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The record price for American folk-painted furniture was sold at Sotheby's in 1986. It was a tall case clock made in 1801 by Johannes Spitler that sold for $203,500.

Techniques

Because Amish beliefs prevent the use of electricity, many woodworking tools in Amish shops are powered by hydraulic and pneumatic power that is run on diesel generators. Most communities permit some technology, and allowances can be made in the case of woodworking, as the craft often supports multiple families within the community. However, the detail and finish work is often completed by hand to ensure the finest quality. A common characteristic of Amish furniture is completed by this handcrafted process, the five-piece English dovetail drawer boxes and steel ball bearing drawer glides. There are also a very few Amish craftsmen who utilize old-fashioned hand tools.

Styles

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Mission chair crafted in Shipshewana, Indiana

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Shaker chair crafted in Shipshewana, Indiana

There are also a variety of different styles available today in Amish furniture. The Mission and Shaker styles are similar. Mission is characterized by straight lines and exposed joinery. It is often considered to be clean and modern in design. The Shaker style is plain, yet elegant and has a very simple and basic design aimed at functionality and durability. The Queen Anne style is in direct contrast to the Mission and Shaker styles. It is considered traditional, with ornate moldings, unique foot details, and carved ornamentation. Other styles available are Southwestern, Rustic, Cottage, and Beachfront.

Amish furniture making is often a skill passed through many generations. Most Amish children rarely attend school beyond eighth grade, often to help out at home, or in the shops. Many families become known for their specific design details and niches. Some woodworkers focus only on outdoor furniture, others on pieces for the living room or bedroom. No piece of furniture is ever identical because of the care taken to select the wood. The grain is different on every piece of wood, and the craftsmen often try to highlight the features of each individual piece.

Technology

In recent years, the Amish furniture market has expanded to include online sales. The Amish craftsmen, because of their beliefs, are prohibited from running the websites. Non-Amish retailers often attend Amish furniture expositions in Ohio and Indiana to see Amish furniture on display and meet the craftsmen behind the pieces. Relationships are often developed, and the retailer becomes the middleman between the simple life of the Amish woodworker and the modern buyer. Amish furniture is now available to a wider market and to those who may not be in close proximity to an Amish woodworking shop. It is no longer necessary to visit a retail location to select the unique wood and stain combination desired; this can all be done on the Internet, and there are dozens of different wood, stain and upholstery options to choose from. The finished furniture is shipped directly from the builder to the consumer. Since there is no mass-production, the Amish craftsperson do not have a storehouse of ready-made furniture. Each order is custom-made, allowing consumers to choose their upholstery and wood stain and to alter the height and width of pieces like dining tables and sofas to suit their convenience.