A Practical Chair for Every Room
Shaker chairs grew to become part of American furniture history. Their sturdy design and practical comfort made them appropriate for any room in the house. Abraham Lincoln put Shaker chairs around his Cabinet table. He himself was grateful to receive a ceremonial chair from Shaker elders during the Civil War. Ulysses S. Grant wrote many of his journals while seated in a Shaker chair. Winston Churchill was said to have treasured the American-made Shaker chair in his study. 

Balance, Proportion, Color Unlike the Amish who were contemporaries, Shaker craftsmen constantly explored new techniques in chair making. They invented metal ball-and-socket “tilters” for the tips of the chair’s legs. People could then tilt forward or back without damaging its legs. Classic, pared-down styling reveals an understanding of balance, proportion, and color that places Shaker designs well above the merely functional. They always were refining chairs for special needs - such as corner chairs - welcoming a new idea, or fabricating a tool if needed. All superfluous accents were removed, leaving clean yet elegant lines.

Heritage The Windsor chair is any chair whose upper posts are socketed into the top of the seat. The legs also attach to the seat from the underside. These chairs were brought to America from England in the 1730s, and by the turn of the century, Windsors sold more than any other style of chair in America.

Colonial Industry
Philadelphia became the center of Windsor craftsmanship, which eventually spread up and down the East Coast and into Canada. Each chair maker added his own touch to the Windsor design, but the basic components of the chair spawned one of our earliest forms of out-sourcing. One group of craftsman only carved seats. Others made posts. The bow (a continuous, one-piece arm and back rest) could be fashioned by someone using steam in another work shop. This early network of chair craft created jobs and economic growth for the new country.

Seats of Liberty Arguably Philadelphia’s most famous resident, Benjamin Franklin was known to favor Windsors. When the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776 in Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, Franklin arranged for all the delegates to be seated in Windsor chairs. Thomas Jefferson was said to have drafted that most famous American document while sitting in a Windsor chair. George Washington loved Windsor chairs, filling his mansion at Mount Vernon with them.

Years Worn Well
Windsor chairs can be "freshened up" with a new coat of paint to cover scuff marks. By simply adding a new color on top of the old, you can create two-toned chairs, which are part of the Windsor charm. Since they were usually not upholstered, the sturdy wooden seats never needed replacing. Just paint.
 
Today we delight in owning handmade Windsors with a one- or two-paint finish because they emulate a worn look as an earlier color peeks out from under the other. Our contemporary craftsmen can even simulate a museum finish that will achieve an "aged" look.

Variations
The original Windsor design was altered from region to region, state to state. Yet century-old regional influences still remain today in many aspects of Windsor design. Incorporated into these beautiful, light in form, durable chairs are such features as Bamboo Turnings, Ball Feet, Balloon Backs, D-Seats, Openwork Lyre-Backs, Scroll Seats, Fancy Tablet Tops, Fan Backs, Shield-Shaped Seats, High Crown Tops, Arm Scrolls...and the list goes on!