Amish furniture is furniture produced by Amish, mainly from Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Ohio. Generally known as made entirely of wood, usually without particle board or laminate. The styles most often used by Amish carpenters are generally more traditional in nature.
Video Amish furniture
History
Amish furniture was first noticed in the 1920s, when early American folk art was "discovered," and traders and historians deeply appreciated the beauty and quality of things. Many different styles of Amish furniture emerged. The Jonestown School began in the late 18th century in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. The Jonestown School is best known for its casket blankets dotted with flowers on three panels. Examples of these chests are on display at the Smithsonian Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
Another distinctive style of Amish furniture is the Soap Hollow School, which was developed in Soap Hollow, Pennsylvania. These pieces are often painted in red, gold, and black. Henry Lapp is a furniture maker based in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and the design that most closely resembles the furniture we think today is made by the Amish. He was one of the first to abandon the influence of the Germanic style painted in his furniture and choose an unadorned, innocent style, following more of the Welsh furniture making style at the time. The order book he offers to his customers contains watercolors of his works and is now in the Philadelphia Art Museum. The recording price for American-painted furniture was sold at Sotheby's in 1986. It was a tall watch made in 1801 by Johannes Spitler that sold for $ 203,500.
Maps Amish furniture
Technique
Because the Amish belief prevents the use of electricity, many of the tools in Amish shops are powered by hydraulic and pneumatic power run on diesel compressors. Most communities allow some technology, and benefits can be made in the case of woodworking, as crafts often support many families in the community.
Great attention is given to the details of wood in the process of making furniture. Each piece of wood is specially selected to suit special furniture. Attention is given to the wood grain, both in pasting the pieces and in achieving the desired piece view. Amish furniture is also appreciated for its sustainability and is considered a "green" product. Carpenters Amish pride themselves in their work and view their products as works of art and furniture that will be used and lived for generations.
Styles
Amish furniture is made in various styles. The Mission and Shaker styles have several characteristics. Its mission is characterized by a straight line and an open connection. It is often considered clean and modern in design. Shaker style is plain, yet elegant and has a very simple and basic design that is intended for function and durability. Queen Anne's style contrasts with the style of Mission and Shaker. This is considered traditional, with ornate decorations, unique leg detail, and ornate carvings. Other available styles include Southwestern, Rustic, Cottage, Country, Quaker, and Beachfront.
Amish-making furniture is often a skill through many generations. Most Amish children rarely attend school outside the eighth grade, often to help at home, or in stores. Many families became famous for their design details and specific niche. Some carpenters only focus on outdoor furniture, others in sections for living room or bedroom. No furniture is identical with the others because of the care taken to choose wood. The grains are different on each piece of wood, and the artisans often try to highlight the features of each section.
Technology
During the second half of the 19th century, Grand Rapids became a major timber center, cultivating timber harvested in the region. By the end of this century, the city was founded as a major furniture manufacturing city in the United States. For this reason, it is dubbed "City Furniture". After the international exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876, Grand Rapids became famous worldwide as a leader in the production of fine furniture.
The furniture maker was established in 1931 to improve the design and workmanship of Grand Rapids furniture. The national home furnishing market was held in Grand Rapids for about 75 years, ending in the 1960s. At that time, the furniture making industry shifted to North Carolina.
Much of Grand Rapids's furniture has now been converted to Asia. At that time, the Amish builders had bought many old machines that had once been used. However, because the Amish belief prevents the use of electricity, many of the tools in Amish shops are powered by hydraulic and pneumatic power run on diesel compressors.
In recent years, the Amish furniture market has expanded to include online sales. Amish craftsmen, because of their belief, are prohibited from running websites. Non-Amish retailers often attend Amish furniture exhibitions in Ohio and Indiana to see Amish furniture on display and meet with craftsmen behind the splinters. Relationships are often developed, and retailers mediate between simple life of Amish carpenters and modern buyers.
Amish furniture is now available for a wider market and for those who may not be near the Amish woodworking shop. There is no need to visit retail locations to choose the unique combination of wood and stain you want; this can all be done on the Internet, and there are dozens of different wood, stain, and coating options to choose from. The finished furniture is shipped directly from the smudge shop to the consumer.
Wood options
Amish furniture is made with a variety of quality hardwoods including northern red oak, white oak quarter quarter sawn, cherry, maple, beech, elm, mahogany, walnut, hickory, cedar and pine. North Red Oak is a very popular choice for American consumers because of its warmth, color, and endurance. Usually grown in the Eastern US, especially in the Appalachian Mountains. White oak is slightly harder than the red oak tree and can be cut to show more light. The antique look of the white oak tree makes it ideal for Mission and Shaker styles. Cherry has a reddish-brown color that will darken with light exposure. Maplewood offers a spectrum of beauties from different angles. It's much harder than the oak tree and is growing in popularity because of its beauty. The American Beech is white with red tinge and the arch is easy when steamed. Elms range in color from almost white to brown to a red tinge and quite stiff and heavy. Mahogany is usually used in high-class furniture because of its attractive finishing. As the color of mahogany matures the color varies from yellowish or pink to deep red or brown. Canaries are heavy, hard, and stiff and range in color from almost white in sap to dark brown in the pith. Walnut keeps stains, paint, and polish well. Hickory is harder than oak and is distinguished by the extreme contrast of light and dark colors. Hickory wood sap is creamy white while horsory wood is red, pink or reddish brown and is often referred to as a red hickory. Cedar has a deep reddish glow and light gold pig stripes. Eastern white pine is softwood. It tends to have more knots than hardwood and can be yellowed with age.
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia