Shaker Furniture History
The United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Coming, popularly known as the Shakers, is a Christian religious group founded in Great Britain around 1750 by James and Jane Wardley. Originally known as the Shaking Quakers due to the trembling religious fervor that characterized their services, the group came to North America in 1774, led by Mother Ann Lee, and became famous for their sense of design. Does this Spark an idea?
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Motivation
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The Shakers condemned beauty for beauty's sake, leading them to strip away unnecessary ornament. At the same time, the quality of their furniture attests to their striving for perfection on earth.
Characteristics
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Shaker furniture design is functional and well built, with straight, uniform lines. The chairs feature woven seats, such as the famous straight chair, with its tall back posts and smooth curved slats, from the Canterbury, New Hampshire, community, circa 1850.
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Construction
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The pieces of Shaker furniture are fit together using traditional tenon and mortise joinery and dovetailing, meaning there are no screws, nails or braces.
Considerations
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With the disappearance of Shaker communities, most Shaker-style furniture today is produced by custom furniture builders following the Shaker tradition. Almost all Shaker originals are either in museums or private collections.
Original Furniture
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Museums with original Shaker furniture include the Art Complex Museum in Duxbury, Massachusetts, and the Living History Museum at the restored Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill in Kentucky.
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