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American Makers E - H

E

Eastman Line (company or product line? – associated with Chittenden & Eastman Co.?)

·         children’s roll top desks and chairs

 

Shop Mark:

 

Eclipse Manufacturing Co.  

·         Pulaski, NY

George Grant Elmslie

·         Chicago, IL, 1890-1922 (various firms)

·         Prairie school furniture, architecture, and interior design (stained glass), draperies, linens, clocks, metalware

·         known for tall back chairs with V shaped splats and intricate design detail

·         pieces are very rare; special study required

·         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Grant_Elmslie

Ellis, Joyce & Hildreth Co. (originally Smith & Ellis, later Lenox Shops)

·         Canastota, NY, 1893 - early 1930s

·         general line ?

Elmira Table Mfg. Co.

·         Elmira, NY

Eskwin Chair Co.

·         Saginaw, MI, early 1900s to at least 1931

·         “ESKWIN” multi-service massive chairs with attachment arms, lamps, and shelves, for holding various office or art related equipment

 

Advertising: retailer’s post card

 

Evansville Desk Co.

·         Evansville, IN, ca. 1929

·         desks

 

Catalog: 1919

 

 

F

Faribault Furniture Co.

·           Faribault, MN, 1886 – at least 1914, bought by Peterson Art Furniture

·           bookcases, Morris chairs, assumed general line

 

Shop Mark:

 

John V. Farwell & Co.

·         Chicago, IL, late 1865 - 1925

·         general line all styles; large wholesaler, supplying smaller wholesalers and retailers

 

Catalog: 1922

 

L. Fish Furniture Co.

·         Hammond, IN, 1858 – current times?

·         “Premiums” company that gave furniture and other goods for stamps collected at participating companies; outlets in Chicago and Indianapolis?

 

Catalogs:

 

  

1910, 1911, and undated

 

1923, still containing several pieces of Mission style

George C. Flint Co. (retailer / manufacturer)

·         New York, NY, late 1800s - early 1900s

·         contracted pieces from Leopold Stickley ca. 1902, also sold Gustav Stickley, marked with an over-stamp (see last pic below), sold L. & J.G. Stickley marked with a celluloid tag (second & third pic below)

·         general line?, bookcases, chairs

·         merged with R. J. Horner & Co. in 1915 to form ‘Horner and Flint’ (details unknown after this point)

 

Shop Marks:

 

early mark

 

 

celluloid tags, two variants or color fade

 

over-stamp of Gustav Stickley

J.S. Ford, Johnson & Co. (Ford & Johnson Co.)

·         Chicago, IL, ca. 1905 - at least 1911, showrooms in Boston, Cincinnati, Frankfort (KY), Atlanta

·         chairs, rockers, settees, dining suites, library tables, wicker rockers, wicker tea carts, some Wicker apparently made and supplied by Karpen (see label under Karpen listing), plus other styles; used prison labor ca. 1911

·         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ford_and_Johnson_Chair_Company

 

Shop Marks:

 

 

(two examples above from gustavstickley.com)

 

Forest City Furniture Co

·         Rockford, IL, early 1900s

·         Mission style stacking bookcases

 

Catalogs:

 

 

1911, 1911-1912

Forrest Furniture Mfg. Co.

·         Inglewood. CA

·         chairs, desks, Spanish Revival/Mission style

 

Shop Mark:

 

Lee Fountain

·         Wells, NY, 1915 - 1931

·         small tables, stools, rustic style

Franciscan Shops

·         Apulia, NY, early 1900s

·         chairs and library tables

 

Shop Mark: paper label

L.G. Fullman & Sons (or is it Fullam?)

·         Ludlow, VT, early 1900s

·         Morris chairs, general line

 

Shop Mark: leather tag “The Fullman Shops, Ludlow, VT, Craftsmasters”?

 

 

G

Gaylord Bros. Inc.

·         Syracuse, NY, 1896 - present

·         library furniture and supplies

 

Shop Mark:

 

 

Globe-Wernicke Co.

·         Cincinnati, OH (several satellite locations), 1899 merger of the Globe Co. and Wernicke Co., to 1932

·         stacking or barrister bookcases (a.k.a. ‘elastic’ bookcases), variety of filing system cabinets, desks, other office equipment pieces

·         advertised in Gustav Stickley’s Craftsman magazine (1907, 1910, 1914)

·         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globe_Wernicke

 

Shop Marks: Large range of shop marks indicating size/pattern/grade of bookcase units and related top/bottom/desk units; examples of the ‘Mission’ styles shown here, followed by various marks from other office furniture

 

 

 

Pre 1899 marks, three examples above

 

  

 

  

 

 

 

  

 

 

Art Mission style tag glued over ‘regular’ tag; curious (?), followed by full tag

 

Prices and sizes chart glued to a section of Mission style bookcase presumably for ordering more units to match

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rare decal, “Elastic Bookcase” referring to the period terminology for stacking bookcases

 

Catalogs:

 

Bookcases

  

1902/03, 1903, 1907 with retailer name at bottom

 

  

1908 with retailer name at bottom, 1909, 1911 marked 110

 

  

1911 marked No.111, 1911? marked No. 115 and No. 115B

 

 

1912, 1909

 

   

 

Filing cabinets

 

  

1899-1900, 1900, 1904

 

  

1907, 1910, 1910 (file card cabinets and variations)

 

Advertising:

 

 

Advertising tray, 4 1/4" in diameter, "CHAS. W. SHONK. CO. LITHO., CHICAGO NO.K 1513" on back, and as shown "C. FUNCK & SON, INC., BRISTOL, CONN." on front

 

Retailer’s sign

Goshen Mfg. Co. (also Goshen Novelty and Lamp?)

·         Goshen, IN, early 1900s?

·         “Old Reliable Line”; shop mark lists products - ladders, lawn swings, settees, porch furniture (rockers, arm chairs, are known), hay slings and carriers; also costumer umbrella stand combination is known with Goshen mark

 

Shop Mark:

 

 

Grand Central Wicker Shop Inc.

·         New York, NY, early 1900s? - ca. 1940s

·         general line of Mission and other styles of wicker

 

Catalogs: ca. 1905

 

 

Grand Ledge Chair Co.

·         Grand Ledge, MI, 1883 - 1981

·         primarily chairs but also general line including tables made under the subsidiary name Grand Ledge Table Co.

 

Shop Mark: 

 

 

Catalogs:

 

 

1903, 1904

Grand Rapids Bookcase Co.

·         Grand Rapids, MI, 1897 - 1911

·         moved to Hastings in 1900 after 1899 fire, merged with Barber Brothers Chair Co. to become Lifetime in 1911 (see Barber Brothers listing for an example combined shop mark)

·         bookcases, sideboards, china cabinets, desks, chiffonniers, buffets, parlour cabinets

 

Shop Marks: The circle with triangle shop mark does not specifically identify the company name but based on the pieces this has been found on and deductive reasoning regarding the model number information noted below and the associated Barber Brothers shop mark reference noted above, it has been reasonably concluded that this is the proper shop mark for Grand Rapids Bookcase Co.

 

  

 

Model number that carried over to Lifetime with a prefix number, e.g. model 219 bookcase is the same as model 7219 at Lifetime

 

Grand Rapids Bookcase & Chair Co. see Lifetime Furniture

Grand Rapids Brass & Iron Bed Co., Ltd.

·         Grand Rapids, MI, 1900 – ca. 1911

·         brass and iron beds

Grand Rapids Chair Co.

·         Grand Rapids, MI, 1872 - 1973, various purchases from 1945

·         extensive line with some Glasgow School and Art Nouveau influence, but issued no catalogs; John E. Brower designer from 1890s to his death in 1915

 

Shop Marks:

 

 

First example annotated with “Fancy Furniture” even though this example was found on a Mission style sideboard

 

History book: “Reflections”, a 50 year history of the Grand Rapids Chair Company from 1872-1922, as published in 1922

 

Grand Rapids Clock & Mantel Co.

·         Grand Rapids, MI, 1898 - 1916

·         mantels and hall clocks

Grand Rapids Desk Co.

·         Grand Rapids/Muskegon, MI, 1893 – ca. 1956

·         plant burned in 1898 and moved to Muskegon and sold in 1907 then again to Stow and Davis 1928

·         office furniture, roll-top desks, pedestal desks

 

Shop Mark: embossed brass escutcheon

 

ca. 1903 (facsimile from Carron et. al. 1998)

 

Catalog: “Grand Rapids Desk Company Supplement to Catalog Number Twenty One, Office Furniture, Muskegon, Michigan, USA”

 

Grand Rapids Fancy Furniture Co.

·         Grand Rapids, MI, 1896 - 1938

·         general line, bookcases, drop front desks, desks, cabinets

 

Shop Mark:

 

Grand Rapids Furniture Co.

·         Grand Rapids, MI, 1902(04?) - 1957; successor to New England Furniture Co

·         school desks and tables, ding room suites in ‘Austrian Arts and Crafts’

 

Shop Mark:

 

Tag found on a mixed style piece incorporating Mission/Arts & Crafts elements

Grand Rapids Furniture Manufacturers Association (FMA)

·         The “Grand Rapids Made” (GRM) logo, first introduced in 1900, was used by FMA members (see examples under Berkey & Gay, Gunn Furniture Co., Michigan Chair Co., New England Furniture Co.). The FMA was a trade organization that negotiated rail freight and insurance rates, negotiated labor disputes, and who protected the Grand Rapids name from disreputable manufacturers and dealers. The FMA established standardized stain colors by 1909 including: Golden Oak, Early English, Weathered Oak, and Fumed Oak, plus two versions of Mahogany.  The FMA negotiated settlement of a major city-wide labor dispute in 1910 - 1911 at the height of the Mission period of furniture production. Several other Grand Rapids based associations merged in to the FMA over time, i.e. the Grand Rapids Furniture Manufacturers Association, 1881 - 1902; the Grand Rapids Furniture Association, 1908 - 1911; the Grand Rapids Furniture Fraternity, 1908; and The Guild (Grand Rapids Chair Co., Grand Rapids Fancy Furniture Co., Imperial Furniture Co., Luce Furniture Co., Macey Co., Nelson, Matter & Co., John D. Raab Chair Co., Stickley Brothers Co.), 1908 - 1911.

 

 

Exhibition catalog of “The Guild” members, 1910

 

Large brass tag identifying the ‘Guild’, found on a settle

Grand Rapids Furniture Mfg. Co. 

·         Grand Rapids, MI, 1874 - 1943

·         general line including unassembled mail order

·         advertised in Gustav Stickley’s Craftsman magazine (1910)

 

Catalogs:

 

 

1905, and assumed later than first based on more pages of Mission style pieces

Grand Rapids Table Co.

·         Grand Rapids, MI, 1891 – ca. 1905

·         ‘Austrian Modern’ tables, desks

Grand Rapids Wood Finishing Co.

·         Grand Rapids, MI, 1901 - 1990

·         mentioned for interest; supplied finishes, veneers, and stains to the furniture industry

Gray Furniture Co.

·         Adrian, MI, ca.1911 - 1912

·         general line, library tables

 

Shop Marks: two examples with dates 1911 and 1912

 

 

Greene & Greene

·         Pasadena, CA, 1893 - 1922; later - Henry Greene 1922 - 30 (Pasadena), Charles Sumner Greene (Carmel) 1916 - 1934

·         master architects who designed furniture starting in 1903; moved from oak to mahogany and incorporated oriental influence and curved ‘softening’ to linear form; also ebony pegs etc.; also designed lighting, stained glass, ironwork, carpets, linens

·         Peter and John Hall (brothers - Sweden) were contractors and woodworkers who produced the work of the Greene’s

·         extremely rare, special study required

·         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greene_and_Greene

 

Shop Mark: Branded script “Sumner Greene / His True Mark” – referring to Charles, and used inconsistently for only a few years; patented in 1912 but was retroactively used on commissions back to 1909

 

Charles A. Greenman Co. (C.A. Greenman Furniture Co.)

·         Grand Rapids, MI, 1904 - 1911

·         tables, tabourets, pedestals, writing tables, magazine stands, palm stands, desks

 

Shop Marks:

 

 

Greenpoint Metallic Bed Co.

·         Brooklyn, NY, ca. 1911 - 1920s

·         brass and iron beds, sold by John Wannamaker 1911

 

Shop Mark: “GREENPOINT METALLIC BED CO.” in cross, and “GREENPOINT  PROCESS GUARANTEED BAKELITE ???ER (?)”

 

Gregory Furniture Mfg. Co.

·         Tacoma, WA, early 1900s?

·         extension dining tables

 

Shop Mark:

 

J.E. Grelick Co.

·         Grand Rapids, MI, ca. 1914

·         library tables

W.H. Gunlocke Chair Co.

·         Wayland, NY, 1902 – ca. 1948

·         founders included John Plail

·         office chairs, clock cases, Morris chairs, steam-bent chairs, arm chairs w/caned backs; matching rockers and arm chairs, made desk chairs for Yawman & Erbe Mfg. Co.

 

Shop Mark: 1) rectangular paper label w/clipped corners and red ink, and:

 

  

First two variants with slightly different fonts

 

 

Branded mark on Yawman & Erbe Mfg. Co. chair, presumably meaning Gunlocke supplied chairs as a wholesaler to other companies, followed by same mark found on a chair independent of any other marks

 

 

Late tag (1920s + ?), and assumed to be a Gunlocke stencil mark, i.e. WHG Co., found on an office arm chair, probably 1920’s

 

 

From office chairs, appears to be 1920-30s

Gunn Furniture Co.

·         Grand Rapids, MI, 1898 – ca. 1949

·         stacking or ‘barrister’ bookcases (a.k.a. ‘elastic’ bookcases), roll-top desks  

 

Shop Marks:

 

 

desk tag

 

 

  

 

Catalogs:

 

  

1907, 1909, 1913

 

  

1917, 1921, undated desk catalog

Gustavel Furniture Mfg. Co.

·         location?, ca. 1915

·         desks with hidden lift-out organizer units

 

Shop Marks:

 

 

First example, at the bottom: “MANUFACTURED BY GUSTAVEL FURNITURE MFG. CO.  DEC. 15, 1915”

 

H

C.H. Haberkorn & Co.

·         Detroit, MI, ca. 1907 – ca. 1927

·         desk table combinations, mirrors, tables, desks, chairs, gate leg tables, mission tables, tea wagons, sewing cabinets, smoking and liquor cabinets, Governor’s tables, floor lamps

 

Shop Mark:

 

 

Catalog: date unknown

 

Stanton H. Hackett

·         Philadelphia, PA, early 1900s

·         general line       

Hale Co.

·         Arlington, VT, 1870s - 1992

·         dining chairs

 

Shop Mark:

 

F.E. Hale Mfg. Co.

·         Herkimer, NY, ca. 1907 - ?, (products still made under Hale name)

·         general line, stacking or ‘barrister’ bookcases (a.k.a. ‘elastic’ bookcases)

 

Shop Marks:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frank A. Hall

·         New York, NY, early 1900s

·         brass beds

 

Shop Mark:

 

Hamilton Mfg. Co.

·         Two Rivers WI, ? – at least ca. 1950

·         drafting tables, printer cabinets

 

Shop Marks:

 

 

 First line reads “Hamilton-Economy”

 

 

 

 

First example, C.F. Pease Co. – distributor of Hamilton Mfg. Co.

Frank S. Harden Co.

·         McConnellsville & Camden (Factory No. 2), NY, 1884 - 1930s ? w/family name and production to current times

·         general good quality line, focus on chairs, with generally large proportions

·         purchased wood, leather, nails, horsehair, stain, and dowels from J.M. Young; also used machinery at Young factory to cut mortise and tenon joints

·         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harden_Furniture

 

Shop Marks: The commonly found rectangular label had several combinations of font use, line weight, and spacing of notation; no known dating scheme available; seven variants are illustrated below; tags usually attached with two tacks but sometimes three are found

 

 

Two variants, above, using the same two fonts but different line weights and spacing arrangement

 

A variant using the same two fonts as the above examples, however the usage is reversed, i.e. company name and notes are opposite; header line is also spaced differently

 

 

 

Three variants, above, using one font but with different line weight and variation in spacing and alignment

 

Variant with two fonts and different layout spacing than other examples

 

 

Rare oval mark (from gustavstickley.com), and rare celluloid tag found on a gun cabinet

 

Tag found in reference material but not confirmed if used on Mission style pieces (from Royka 2003)

Harden-Winders Mfg. Co.

·         Columbus, OH, at least 1907

·         Mission style porch settle swing; advertised in the Michigan Artisan (1907)

Hardesty Mfg. Co.

·         Chicago, IL, Canal Dover, OH, early 1900s

·         general line, Valet chairs with flip seat and drawer for shoes, hanging clothes, sewing etc.

 

Shop Mark: rectangular paper shipping label attached w/tacks, name of company & “Mission Furniture, Opera Chairs, and Counter Stools”

Hartman Furniture & Carpet Co.  (retailer and manufacturer/consigner?)

·         Chicago, IL, ca. 1855 - 1929

·         large Chicago department store

·         carried pieces by Kroehler Mfg. Co., Royal Chair Co.

·         general line, “Monarch” upholstered-oak line, “Ye Olde Mission” oak line, “Jewel” sectional bookcases, mail order

 

Catalogs: 

 

  

1913 promotional catalog, 1914 full catalog, 1915 promotional catalog

 

  

1916 full catalog, 1917 spring, 1918

 

Hartmann-Sanders Co.

·         Chicago, IL, & New York, NY, ca. 1900 - present

·         painted garden and patio furniture, much of it in Mission style; also architectural pieces including doors, columns; advertised in Gustav Stickley’s Craftsman magazine (1914)

 

Catalogs: 1922 and 1927

 

 

Hein Furniture Co.

·         Toledo, OH, early 1900s

·         map and blueprint cabinets

 

Shop Mark:

 

Helmers Mfg. Co.

·         Kansas City, MO, at least 1922 to at least 1951

·         benches, barber shop furniture, library tables

 

Shop Marks:                                                                                                                                                       

 

 

 

·         sideboard

 

Shop Mark: paper label

Hersee and Co. (manufacturer and retailer)

·         Buffalo, NY, late 1800s - early1900s

·         cellarettes, reseller of Lifetime (desks)

 

Shop Mark:

 

Heywood Brothers & Wakefield Co. (or commonly Heywood Wakefield)

·         Gardner, MA, (7 factories, 13 warehouses in Chicago, Buffalo, Boston, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Erving, MA, Menominee, MI, Wakefield, MA, Orillia, ON Canada) 1898 - 1915, then Heywood Wakefield Co. (known for “modern” furniture from 1930s to 1966 )

·         sold by John Wannamaker

·         prolific range of chairs, settles, office chairs, Mission style wicker

·         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heywood-Wakefield_Company

 

Shop Marks:

 

Most commonly seen -  red and white variants:

 

 

Gardner, two variants

 

 

Chicago, Buffalo

 

 

Boston, two variants

 

 

San Francisco, Wakefield

 

Portland

 

Second most commonly seen – blue and white variants:

 

 

Los Angeles, two variants

 

 

Buffalo, unknown location based on “WINT…”?, similar to Buffalo tag

 

Chicago

 

Examples of wide range of other style tags:

 

 

 

 

 

Catalogs:

 

 

1905, 1909

 

 

1912, and school furniture catalog, including Mission, ca. 1910

 

1924 catalog still containing Mission pieces

 

History book: “A Completed Century 1826-1926 The Story of Heywood-Wakefield Company”, published for the company in 1926 by the Merrymount Press, Boston

 

 

 

·         Silver City, NC, 1875 - 1949

·         office chairs, hand and loom fiber furniture, bentwood porch and lawn swings

 

Shop Marks: at least two variants of paper label, one shown

 

M.L. Himmel & Son

·         Baltimore, MD, early 1900s?

·         Filing cabinets, stacking bookcases, tables?, chairs?, also carriages

 

Shop Marks:

 

 

Holland Furniture Co.

·         Holland, MI, 1894 – ca. 1940

·         bed frames

 

Shop Mark:

 

Home Craft Furniture (The Home-Craft Company)

·         Milwaukee, WI, early 1900s

·         knockdown mail order, general line

 

Catalog: Date?

 

Homer Table Co.

·         Mottville, NY

Honeoye Falls Furniture Company, Inc.

·         Honeoye Falls, NY, early 1900s

·         desks, book stands

 

Shop Mark:

 

 

R. J. Horner & Co. (R for Robert)

·         New York, NY, 1886 to at least 1916

·         famous maker of elaborate carved Victorian furniture, but appears to have also  made, or contracted for resale pieces by Phoenix Furniture Co. in Mission lines with some carving embellishment

·         merged with George C. Flint Co. in 1915 to become ‘Horner and Flint’ (details unknown beyond this point)

 

Shop Marks: First, as found on a Mission style server, next, as found on Mission style dresser and foot stool

 

 

William H. Hoskins Co.

·         Philadelphia, PA, early 1900s

·         roll-top desks, other office furniture and office supplies

 

Shop Mark:

 

Hubbard & Eldredge Co. (later Hubbard, Eldredge & Miller)

·         Rochester, NY, 1905? - 1932

·         chairs, rockers, footstools, “HEMCO” (acronym) line 

 

Shop Marks:

 

early mark

 

 

Humphrey Widman Bookcase Co. (Humphrey Bookcase Co. ca. 1907 ?)

·         Detroit, MI, early 1900s

·         stacking or ‘barrister’ bookcases (a.k.a. ‘elastic’ bookcases)

 

Shop Marks:

 

 

 

 

Catalog:

 

No date, with retailer name

George Hunzinger

·         New York, NY, 1860 - 1920s

·         important American chair designer and maker, not known specifically for Arts & Crafts style furniture but well known for innovative and structurally simplified approaches with many patents, that inspired many modern designs of the 20^th Century; Hunzinger died in 1898 but his Sons continued to run the company; a Morris chair design patented in 1899 is the most distinct Arts & Crafts style piece of Hunzinger work, compared to most other designs which are essentially Victorian or “fancy” chairs

·         chairs, settees, rockers, Morris chairs

 

Shop Mark: Brass tag found on Arts & Crafts style Morris chair

 

 

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