Furniture of the Early 1900's

Furniture created during the 1900’s was marked by less individuality and increased mass production. Wicker furniture which began sweeping the country in the late 1800’s and continued its reign in the early 1900’s. Individual craftsmen, which were by no mean extinct, began losing more business to furniture companies which offered less expensive, less original, and oftentimes mass produced furniture.

Jamestown, NY could be referenced as the birthplace of the modern day furniture company. With an ideal location on the Chadokin River, Jamestown was already well established as a powerhouse in lumber milling, and the city’s move into the furniture market came as no surprise. However it was not until the late 1800’s and early 1900’s that furniture sales began skyrocketing.

The early 1900’s is often referred to as the Golden Era for the furniture industry. During this time furniture was produced in larger quantities than ever before. A few of the larger companies included Jamestown Seat Company, Sherman Brothers Lounge Company, and the Breed Johnson Company. These furniture companies had factories equipped with band saw, slash saws, shapers, and planers. However, electric motors were not widely used until the 1920’s.

Furniture sales increased during this time in part due to the increased marketing and advertising efforts of the different companies. Obtaining trademarks for furniture names started to become a more common practice. The larger companies developed the Jamestown Furniture Marketing Association and mailed out promotional materials to dealers. The days of making furniture and hoping that someone would buy it were long gone and the 1900’s marked the beginning of aggressive marketing tactics in the furniture industry.

Also worth noting about furniture of the early 1900’s is the growth in wicker furniture. Tea carts, smoking stands, blanket chests, and rolling chairs were some of the more unique furniture items that were built in wicker. Rolling chairs created out of wicker were prominent in unique locales such as the Atlantic City Boardwalk.

There is no doubt that furniture of the early 1900’s evolved tremendously not only in style, but the means by which it was sold. Mom and pop furniture stores began to dwindle and furniture companies grew through aggressive marketing practices.