Heirloom furniture

[Jason White]

What we’ve always known.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/home/2023/09/05/new-furniture-quality-doesnt-last/

[Dan Friedrichs]

Interesting read. Interesting that they said Room and Board was doing it "right" - I was actually there checking out dining tables and chairs, last week, and left thinking, "Ok, so that's 1 notch up from Ikea. Where do I find something that is 4 notches up?"

[Warren Lake]

Thos Moser, didnt look at the article

[Andrew More]

"For starters, lighter, thinner materials work much better for these purposes — so even if solid oak was plentiful and inexpensive, furniture makers would still probably opt for press board."

More for us? I've got some Ikea furniture, because there are some places in the house that don't need something really amazing, like our dingy basement with two small children. I'll probably replace a lot of it as we go along, but at least Ikea is honest about their cheap furniture for cheap prices. It's places like Pottery Barn, and Restoration Hardware with their high prices for cheap furniture that bother me.

It's also meant that we've been able to get some pretty nice pieces of furniture relatively cheaply.

I also can't help but wonder if some of this is driven by the fast paced and constantly changing world we live in. Why spend the money on something that will last when you don't know which house, city, or job you're going to be in next week, let alone next year, or next decade? I think modern houses have similar issues. Why pay 2-3x for slate roofs, real brick, hardwood floors, or plaster walls when you're going to be moving again in a few years for work?

[Mike Mason]

I also can't help but wonder if some of this is driven by the fast paced and constantly changing world we live in. Why spend the money on something that will last when you don't know which house, city, or job you're going to be in next week, let alone next year, or next decade? I think modern houses have similar issues. Why pay 2-3x for slate roofs, real brick, hardwood floors, or plaster walls when you're going to be moving again in a few years for work?

I agree with what you said. Part of the problem is also that well-made furniture is very costly - not many can afford high quality furniture, much less Thomas Moser, etc. If they can, it's not a priority in their budgeting.

Nobody wants grandma's old dining room set anymore - unless it's MCM, which is super trendy right now. I've always loved Scandinavian design furniture, which seems timeless to me, but personally I can't understand the current appeal of the ugly stuff that many of our parents had, such as chrome dinette sets. I don't see that trend lasting, but some people are making a killing on it right now - there is a huge antique mall near us that specializes in it.

Back in the 70's, many people wanted well-made antique furniture, so maybe someday there will be a resurgence of interest in well-made furniture.

Another mystery to me is the appeal of live edge tables and, worse yet, live edge river tables. Talk about trendy!

[Warren Lake]

parents had MCM stuff nice. Chairs best ive ever sat in even more so than windsors. They even had a heintzman upright grand, small thing it is but its teak. People say pianos have no value but not so when it matches stuff.

Thos has done well, yes prices are up there. Work quality is very good and material selection and layout matching better than most. They pay attention and have stuck to quality for what 40 plus years im sure. Good on them to still be doing it and making their own brand.

[Richard Coers]

Thos Moser, didnt look at the article
He sure has changed his style though.
507268

[Warren Lake]

Hi Richard

im not up on it just not had time but past did see a you tube them in the shop their lumber storage and and and. I probably have the first book he put out. I showed the old guy once a pretty recent catalogue a friend had and he looked and said its like Madonna? I said what do you mean, he said she wears her underwear on the outside. Okay got it where he learned dovetails were in the carcass on the drawers not on the carcass. No right or wrong.

I think when people go CNC then it opens up more then same time maybe it limits in other ways as people start to design by what a machine can do. Then I dont have it and not drawn to it just too old school and stubborn. stopped at a friends who had built his third CNC machine and then uses the computer to plug into a milling machine and a drill press. showed me lots made on a new 3D printer. Lots of respect for people that can figure all that out. Ill have to take a look soon at their stuff again sure lots of new.

[Patty Hann]

Tastes in furniture are like tastes/preferences in food and music, i.e., very individual, very subjective.
So pax to those who like MCM, but I do not...MCM furniture always reminds me of the Jetsons :-p

[Rob Luter]

It makes me sad how furnishings have become essentially disposable. My bride and I are both lifelong fans of the arts and crafts style, and have a house full of Stickley, Quaint, Kron-Kills, and other similarly styled artisan crafted furnishings (including from this artisan). This stuff will be around for as many decades as it need to be. The need is what concerns me. There is an ever narrowing demographic of people who appreciate the style and the quality. My greatest fear is all this stuff going to a second hand store one day as the last chapter of my life comes to a close. Well, maybe not my greatest fear, but a fear nonetheless.

[Patty Hann]

It makes me sad how furnishings have become essentially disposable. My bride and I are both lifelong fans of the arts and crafts style, and have a house full of Stickley, Quaint, Kron-Kills, and other similarly styled artisan crafted furnishings (including from this artisan). This stuff will be around for as many decades as it need to be. The need is what concerns me. There is an ever narrowing demographic of people who appreciate the style and the quality. My greatest fear is all this stuff going to a second hand store one day as the last chapter of my life comes to a close. Well, maybe not my greatest fear, but a fear nonetheless.

Is there no one you know for whom you can earmark the furniture, that is, who has shown an interest in it?***
30 years ago it I had known someone with Stickleys that were concerned about what was going to happen to it upon their timely demise, I would have mentioned (as delicately as possible) that they steer it my way when that time comes.
Enter it in your will/trust to whom it should go, and it should go there.

***Interest as in an appreciation of its aesthetics as well as to use it...not its re-sale value.

[Pat Germain]

MCM furniture always reminds me of the Jetsons :-p

Not all MCM furniture has that look. Rather than The Jetsons, think Dick Van Dyke show. Or, maybe you see the look of both shows as the same?

[Patty Hann]

Not all MCM furniture has that look. Rather than The Jetsons, think Dick Van Dyke show. Or, maybe you see the look of both shows as the same?

I do know what you mean about the furniture on the Dick van Dyke show. Hitchcock used MCM furniture in a number of his movies.
But since I don't really care for it, and the Jetson's furniture is Super/future modern, and I don't like it either (I'm more the Flintstones type), I do tend to lump the two together.;)

[Mike Mason]

I do know what you mean about the furniture on the Dick van Dyke show. Hitchcock used MCM furniture in a number of his movies.
But since I don't really care for it, and the Jetson's furniture is Super/future modern, and I don't like it either (I'm more the Flintstones type), I do tend to lump the two together.;)

I think you may be on to something. If people can be convinced to buy tables with tops made from slabs with unfinished edges and with the bark still on them (live edge tables) or, worse yet, tables made from slabs sawed down the middle, with the live edges placed in the center before pouring blue plastic to fill the gap (river tables), maybe they can be convinced to buy furniture from various collections based on vintage or current tv shows. For example, "The Flintstone Collection", featuring faux stone, massively-built tables and chairs might appeal to those of us who grew up watching that show when it was actually on prime time tv. For the younger generation, maybe a collection of "Friends" furniture, with copies of the furniture they had in their apartments.

[Patty Hann]

I think you may be on to something. If people can be convinced to buy tables with tops made from slabs with unfinished edges and with the bark still on them (live edge tables) or, worse yet, tables made from slabs sawed down the middle, with the live edges placed in the center before pouring blue plastic to fill the gap (river tables), maybe they can be convinced to buy furniture from various collections based on vintage or current tv shows. For example, "The Flintstone Collection", featuring faux stone, massively-built tables and chairs might appeal to those of us who grew up watching that show when it was actually on prime time tv. For the younger generation, maybe a collection of "Friends" furniture, with copies of the furniture they had in their apartments.

I bet Flintstone furniture would last a lot longer than either MCM or Jetson's furniture (or IKEA).
Folks of a certain generation (not mine) are big on "Scooby-Doo"... you have to wonder how that furniture style would play out...:rolleyes:.

[Jim Becker]

I bet Flintstone furniture would last a lot longer than either MCM or Jetson's furniture (or IKEA).
.
MCM done well is strong and durable. It's about the implementation. It's the same with IKEA...they have some really well built products and some really crappy ones. The two leather loveseats and matching chair in my living room "as we speak" came from IKEA in 1988. They were purchased at the first US store in Plymouth Meeting PA. Other than some scratches on the leather, they have endured a lot over three homes and raising two teenagers. And now a dog is part of the mix. I've had a lot other things from them over the years that were equally well done. Their top kitchen cabinets are excellent. But...there were some misses, too, to be fair. How something is made really does matter. That includes out of my own shop and I've, um...had some losers. ;) Note...I'm not advocating folks run out to IKEA expecting high end stuff. I'm just suggesting that we can't generalize too much.

[Patty Hann]

MCM done well is strong and durable. It's about the implementation. It's the same with IKEA...they have some really well built products and some really crappy ones. The two leather loveseats and matching chair in my living room "as we speak" came from IKEA in 1988. They were purchased at the first US store in Plymouth Meeting PA. Other than some scratches on the leather, they have endured a lot over three homes and raising two teenagers. And now a dog is part of the mix. I've had a lot other things from them over the years that were equally well done. Their top kitchen cabinets are excellent. But...there were some misses, too, to be fair. How something is made really does matter. That includes out of my own shop and I've, um...had some losers. ;) Note...I'm not advocating folks run out to IKEA expecting high end stuff. I'm just suggesting that we can't generalize too much.

Uhhh... I was mostly joking.... lots of stone age stuff is till around, like granite boulders....

(Elephant Rocks State Park, Missouri)

https://photos.smugmug.com/USA/Missouri/Elephant-Rocks-State-Park/i-nrbFxdS/0/L/ESP-95-L.jpg

[Rob Luter]

Is there no one you know for whom you can earmark the furniture, that is, who has shown an interest in it?***
30 years ago it I had known someone with Stickleys that were concerned about what was going to happen to it upon their timely demise, I would have mentioned (as delicately as possible) that they steer it my way when that time comes. Enter it in your will/trust to whom it should go, and it should go there.
***Interest as in an appreciation of its aesthetics as well as to use it...not its re-sale value.

Not really. We had hoped to pass it on to our Daughter but no interest there. We'll do some networking when the time comes. I'm hopeful it will wind up warming someone's home and not snatched up for cheap by a flipper.