How to Identify Shaker Chairs
The Shakers were members of a small religious sect, many of whom escaped England in the 1700s to avoid religious persecution. They have become famous less for their beliefs than for the fine furniture they crafted. Shaker furniture, with its clean lines, fits into any décor from primitive country to metropolitan chic. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Educate yourself. Learn about Shaker furniture by studying books and websites. Visit a Shaker village to study the real thing.
-
2
Decide whether you want an antique Shaker chair or a reproduction. Antique chairs can cost around $4,000. Reproductions are less expensive and, in many instances, true to the original.
Determine what style chair you are looking for. Shaker chairs come in many styles and sizes from the largest rocking chair to the smallest child's chair. The seats vary from woven tape to rush and solid wood.
-
-
3
Inspect the chair. A true Shaker chair can be identified by its craftsmanship. The Shakers used dove tailing to join the parts of the chair together.
A Shaker chair is simple and functional. There will be no ornamentation, just simple, graceful lines reflecting the quality of the workmanship.
The legs will be straight and not curved.
The Shakers finished their chairs with a light coat of stain assuring that the natural wood grain would show through. If the chairs were painted, the color was red, blue, green or yellow.
Shaker chairs were made of local wood like maple, birch, poplar and pine. No exotic woods were used in Shaker furniture making.
-
4
Consult an expert. Before purchasing either an antique Shaker chair or a reproduction, have an expert on Shaker furniture look it over. He will know exactly what to look for and may find something you missed.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
An antique Shaker chair will show wear. If the seat was originally woven tape, it will most likely have been replaced.
Although the terms are often used interchangeably, Amish and Shaker furniture are not the same.
