The appeal of Shaker furniture is found in simplicity and solid craftsmanship. Are Shakers related to the Amish or Mennonites? What are the characteristics of Shaker furniture?
Who Are the Shakers?
The Shakers branched from the English Quakers in the mid 1700s. Shakers began shaking, whirling and speaking in tongues during the mainly-silent Quaker worship service.
After her conversion, "Mother" Ann Lee helped establish Shaker beliefs and practices, including celibacy, communal living and pacifism. Under her leadership, the Shakers began settling in the eastern United States about 1775.
Eventually the Shakers became respected for their farming, well-organized community life and inventiveness. Circular saws and clothespins are just two of their contributions to society; but the most famous is their distinctive style of solid wood furniture.
Membership in Shaker communities peaked at about six thousand members during the 1840s. Their numbers dwindled, especially in the late twentieth century.
The Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in Maine claims to be the last active Shaker community. Their primary work is farming, but they do manufacture some "fancy goods" and "small woodenware".
What is the Shaker Furniture Style?
The Shakers are renowned for sturdy, simple, austere, light-weight solid wood furniture using locally-available materials. Shaker furniture style is very simple and practical.
Shaker furniture designs, and indeed all Shaker inventions, combine simplicity and economy of materials with the practical solution to accomplish a task. The Shakers anticipated "functionalism" by a century.
White paint is an alternative to grain-revealing finishes. The second image (below) shows an example of white Shaker furniture: Shaker kitchen cabinets, although the metal hardware seems to be a modern touch.
Typical Shaker Furniture: Chairs, Dining and Bedroom Furniture
As shown the first image (above), the Shaker side chair has three slats at the back. Due to its solid construction from relatively thin planks, it is both light and sturdy. The light weight was important so the chairs could be hung on pegs, out of the way during the whirling and shaking service.
Shaker craftsmen also made the peg rails upon which to hang the chairs. With about a one-foot distance between pegs, the chairs could be hung side-by-side but without getting banged together.
Shaker bedroom furniture pieces, such as Shaker cabinets, were also simple in design and execution. As seen in the pictured Shaker bureau and cabinet, the wood is preserved but not ornamented. There is no fancy hardware, carving or scrollwork.
A Shaker dining table was typically made of long pine boards, as seen in the third image. The tight joints were important for ease of cleaning, since they did not set a tablecloth.
Are There any Shaker Furniture Manufacturers Today?
Due to the declining number of authentic Shaker communities, it is unlikely that Shaker furniture has been manufactured by actual Shakers in recent years. However, other people do manufacture Shaker-style furniture. Since the Shakers rarely patented any of their inventions, it is perfectly legitimate to copy their style.
Certainly some Amish craftsmen have become Shaker furniture manufacturers. They already had a tradition of hand-crafting simple solid wood furniture. They are very successful in making furniture in the Shaker style, as well as others. Some Amish now manufacture a variety of high-quality goods and sell through retail partners.
Amish, Mennonites and Shakers
The Amish broke away from their fellow Swiss-German Mennonites in the 1690s, and later divided into smaller groups. Some of these moved to North America where farmland and religious tolerance were available.
The Amish and Mennonites do share many values with Shakers, such as pacifism and a preference for simplicity. Some also live separate from "the world". However, their historic European roots in Switzerland and Germany differ from those of the Shakers and Quakers from England.
Distinguishing Shaker Furniture from Amish or Mennonite
Some traditional Mennonite furniture from the 1700s included decorative inlays, carvings such as birds or tulips, and some colorful painted highlights. Modern Amish craftsmen also produce work in American Country, Mission, or the more ornamental Queen Anne styles.
Online sales catalogs, or travel to Shaker museums, will provide the background needed to recognize, appreciate or purchase excellent modern pieces of Shaker furniture.
References:
- Encyclopaedia Brittanica, "Shaker Furniture", published 1977, referenced Dec. 2010.
- Encyclopaedia Brittanica, "Shakers", published 1977, referenced Dec. 2010.
- Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, "About the Community", referenced Dec. 2010.
- International Styles, "Shaker Furniture History", referenced Dec. 2010.
Mike DeHaan - Copyright (c) Mike DeHaan, B. Math., of DeHaan Services. Well written and well researched freelance articles; ghost writing for clients.
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