Reproduction furniture can be an affordable entry point to antiques auctions and choosing good quality, strong design and well-regarded manufacturers can also see a retention of value and growth potential over time.
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- Kittinger Furniture Serial Numbers Online
- The Kittinger Company was founded in Buffalo, New York, in 1866 as 'Thompson, Colie & Co.' Around 1870 the company began crafting hand-made upholstered furniture and by this time had changed its name to 'Colie & Son' after George and Oliver Colie took control. The furniture business proved so successful for the Colie's that in 1885 they built a factory specifically for the crafting of.
- Kittinger Furniture Company Walnut Butler Table. View It on eBay. 46685EC KITTINGER Colonial Williamsburg Ball Claw Mahogany Game Table. View It on eBay. Kittinger Richmond Collection Mahogany Two Pedestal Dining Table with 2 Leaves.
What sometimes comes to mind when thinking about reproduction furniture is poorly constructed, flimsy furniture of indeterminate wood (think pecan wood, or Asian hardwood imports) and in a pastiche of styles never found in the historical period. Did Philadelphia mahogany armchairs really have rockers in the 1770s? I think not.
There are, however, some clear winners among reproductions. The following is a list of just a few of the many makers that I’ve been following for the past two decades in the marketplace.
Each with a unique story, all three manufacturers share similar characteristics in quality, design and finish that set them apart from most other firms. The use of well-chosen American hardwoods typical of the historical period, faithful reproductions of antique furniture forms, and good quality construction and cast hardware distinguish their furniture. Examples by these furniture manufactures are worth seeking out at auction houses or antique shops, and make desirable, affordable additions to any collection.
Wallace Nutting, Framingham, MA
Under Kittinger’s control, the company’s primary focus was to produce the highest quality furniture possible. The Kittinger family controlled the Kittinger Company until selling it in 1966. Hi, I have a Kittinger tilt table that is stamped underneath and it has a pattern number 11 and serial number 11. It is distressed on top. Who Used the Labels? Furniture labels and marks have been used since the 19th century, and the number of marks out there is mind-boggling - in his book Arts and Crafts Shopmarks, author Bruce E. Johnson noted that more than 1,300 marks (or 'shopmarks') were used from 1895 - 1940 by artists and furniture makers in the Arts & Crafts movement alone, and that doesn't include marks from the.
active circa 1918-1930s
Best known for his hand-colored photographs, Nutting was an author and scholar of Early American Furniture & Decorative Art, and his firm produced bench-made furniture forms from Windsor chairs to highboys. Pieces will usually bear a paper label (early) or more typical branded mark with his name.
Kittinger Furniture Company, Buffalo, NY
active circa 1866-1995, 1999-present
The most sought after forms by this maker are faithful reproductions of 18th century pieces made under license for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (1937-1990) and the Newport Preservation Society. Pieces are characterized by attention to period detail.
Irving & Casson — A. H. Davenport Company, Boston & East Cambridge, MA
active individually and jointly from the 1870s
These two well-regarded Boston area furniture manufactures were active in commercial decorating for public and private buildings. They produced architectural designs and White House commissions for Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency. They’re known for great quality construction and ornamental brass hardware.
Skinner Lot Alert is a great way to get notified when pieces by any of these makers (or those of your choosing) are posted to the Skinner website for an upcoming auction. Reproduction furniture can be a great auction buy and above all, antiques are green, perhaps the ultimate form of reuse and repurposing!
Kittinger Furniture remains one of the top brands in luxury furniture. While other brands like Bassett Furniture and Ethan Allen Furniture have a large following and great name recognition, Kittinger Furniture has become synonymous with true, American Made Fine Furniture.
Who Makes the Furniture in the White House?
Of course, the highest office in the land requires beautiful and well made furniture. Kittinger, with their many lines of traditional furniture, became the company of choice for most of the furniture reproductions in the prominent rooms of the White House in 1968. President Nixon started commissioning Kittinger Furniture to make the majority of the fine furniture in the White House.
Sideboards, chairs, office furniture and of course the beautiful desk that sits in the Oval Office, are all reproductions made by Kittinger.
Kittinger Furniture Executive Desk
A Kittinger Furniture Executive Desk, more modest of course than the one in the White House, fits the most impressive offices. With Kittinger developing several lines of office furniture in their long history, executive desks certainly became something of their specialty.
While making several different models, we can see that certain elements remain constant in the beautiful executive desk offerings by Kittinger. For one, nearly all have gorgeous tooled leather on the top. Certainly a sign of luxury, the leather can be dyed to suit the owner’s taste and decor.
Secondly, almost all have a very large scale. Of course, an executive desk needs to find prominence in a room. So, most span between 5 and 8 feet in length.
Thirdly, the finest wood, brass hardware and extra details like panels, fluting or special feet finish the executive desks by Kittinger. The gorgeous executive desks by Kittinger really make a statement in a home or office.
Kittinger Secretary Desk
The beautiful Kittinger Secretary Desk certainly also deserves mentioning.. Again, over the 150+ years of the company’s history, Kittinger designed and built some incredible secretary desks.
The Colonial Williamsburg Collection Secretary Desks typically have beautiful inlay on the slant front desk area. Additionally, the interior is fitted with a beautiful inner cabinet. Made up of drawers, shelves and cubbies, these desks look just as pretty opened as they do closed.
Likewise, secretary desks with bookcase tops show superb quality and craftsmanship. Many have glazed glass in the doors, and beautiful details in the carving and shape of the desk.
Quality of Kittinger Furniture
The quality of Kittinger Furniture, from the very start, showed major differences from their competitors. In the early 1900’s, owner Irvine Kittinger is quoted with writing,
Kittinger Furniture For Sale
“Our business is not primarily to turn furniture into money, but to produce something really worthwhile.”
Of course, prime woods, like Hundoren and Cuban mahogany, solid domestic cherry and even solid oak graced the original pieces of Kittinger Furniture.
Particularly noticeable with a Kittinger coffee table, dining tables and other end tables are the beautiful grain and veneer work. Often, the factories at Kittinger used incredibly beautiful flame mahogany veneers to decorate the tops and sides of these tables.
Additionally, we can witness the quality of Kittinger Furniture in the construction of case furniture, such as breakfronts, dressers and chests. The subtle tooling along the edges, the perfectly functioning drawers, and the matched grains of table tops all show incredible precision and respect for the craftsmanship of furniture.
Biggs Kittinger Furniture
Biggs Furniture, a furniture factory from Richmond, Virginia made beautiful reproduction furniture for many years. Their handiwork got the attention of Kittinger Company, and before too long, Kittinger subsumed the Biggs workshop.
Kittinger used Biggs to produce their “Old Dominion” line of furniture, which comprises the reproduction Colonial pieces specifically tied to the Virginia area. Thus Biggs Kittinger Furniture is another name to look for when shopping for fine vintage furniture.
Cleaning and Caring for Kittinger Furniture
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Cleaning and Caring for Kittinger Furniture takes a little bit of know-how and patience. Typically, fine furniture stores suggest waxing your furniture about once a year. But what kind of polish is the right Kittinger Furniture polish?
Certainly, supermarket brands like Pledge should be avoided with Kittinger Furniture. These types of products cause chemical build-up on fine furniture. Often, what seems to be working in the short term, could be wreaking havoc on your furniture investments.
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Instead, only use natural paste wax on Kittinger Furniture. The best Kittinger polish is an all natural Carnauba or Beeswax. Of course, these gentle waxes must be used in moderation. Ideally, you should buff carefully but briskly and try to use short circular motions or move along the grain.
Shop Kittinger Furniture
Shopping for a gently used Kittinger Furniture piece? Start here first. Of course, we round up the best priced and most elegant Kittinger Furniture from across the country. We look for incredible condition, great useful Kittinger desks, bedroom furniture and beautiful dining room furniture that you and your family can enjoy for decades to come.
Please enjoy browsing, and let us know your Kittinger Furniture stories!
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Kittinger Furniture For Sale
From the White House to Colonial Williamsburg, Kittinger made incredible fine reproduction furniture for over 100 years. This Buffalo, New York company made office furniture, Colonial furniture and other beautiful adaptations for fine homes across the nation. Find beautiful vintage Kittinger Furniture for sale at incredible prices today!
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