Furniture Answers!
Remember this little post about this little table? I knew you might. In addition to asking you about its origins, I thought I’d ask the historians at Stickley about it as well and they had an answer I hadn’t expected:
Bob,
Your table was made in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the factory of Albert
Stickley who was one of the five Stickley brothers who were involved in
manufacturing mission style furniture at the turn of the 20th century.
However, it is not a Stickley table. Read on.
Albert began his operations in 1891, aided by his younger brother John
George who, after staying on a while, returned to Fayetteville, NY to work
with his other brother Leopold. The result of that long lasting
relationship is our present day L. & J. G. Stickley Co. Albert, Leopold
and John George also had two other brothers. Gustav, considered by many to
be the father of the Arts and Crafts Movement, [who] had his factory in Eastwood
N. Y. and Charles, whose factory was in Binghamton, N. Y.
However, your table was made in 1940 twenty years after the heyday of the
Arts and Crafts Movement brought Stickley’s mission oak furniture to
prominence. As a matter of fact, these tables were designed and built by
the Western Table Co. of Selma, Alabama who purchased Albert’s company in
the late 1930s. Albert died in 1928. Unfortunately I have no catalogs of
the items made during this period, only newspaper advertisements and
descriptions in trade journals. The trademark brand is well documented,
however, as being used illegally by that company.
Leopold Stickley, who sued them and won, hotly contested Western Table
Company’s use of the Stickley name in 1940. He argued that the use of the
Stickley name was a violation of his brothers’ rights and was not sold to
the Western Table Co. when they purchased the factory. However many pieces
had already been sold with the Stickley name branded into the bottom as
yours is.
There is no active collector interest in this particular line of furniture
because Albert Stickley did not design these tables nor are they actually
considered to be Stickley in the collector’s view. If a collector market
emerges only pieces in excellent original condition will be valuable. Value
on these items is arbitrary and I have no prior sale information to base an
accurate appraisal other than an occasional sale on internet web sites [sic]
indicating value [of] $20-$40 for end tables.
Sincerely,
Michael [withheld – ed]
Corporate Historian
I think that story is better than the boring “do you have any idea what it’s worth” Antiques Roadshow spiel if it was a “real” Stickley table. This one is a fascinating tale in my opinion, and one that I don’t think you hear very often. I certainly wasn’t looking for big bucks by selling, and I certainly enjoy the description of the making of this fine piece of furniture much more. I’d have to say that I’m a little richer today (just because I love this stuff).
Your pal,
bob
BTW, I used the contents of the gentleman’s email, and provided minor edits for clarity, without permission, but I found it interesting enough to post anyway. If you have a question about Stickley, they seem (mostly, but that’s another story) happy to oblige.
