Sharing Means Caring

If you follow our instagram feed, this week we posted a video of a tilter chair in action. We posted this video in recognition of the anniversary of the granting of a patent for the "tilter" to George O. Donnell, a New Lebanon brother, in 1852. In earlier blogs we also have touched on the considerable number of other inventions that came out of Shaker communities during their over 100 year history. The clothespin, circular saw, paper seed packets, washing machine, flat broom all were invented by this small community whose numbers never exceeded 6000. As a result, it might surprise you that less than a dozen registered patents and trademarks were ever issued to Shaker community members. However, it is not so surprising when you truly understand the Shakers. They were a caring community where every individual relied on the others for survival and who all shared a common purpose of achieving utopia on earth. They shared their ideas freely so that all brothers and sisters throughout the Shaker world could enjoy the benefits of any one individuals ingenuity. June Sprigg notes in her famous book, By Shaker Hands, that "The Shakers believed just as strongly in sharing their good ideas with others; Shaker inventions...were given freely to the World because Shakers did not believe in patenting, feeling that it was selfish and un-Christian." But also noting that "They were honest but shrewd tradesman and refused to cheat or be cheated;" Nowhere did these ideas come in more conflict than the important Shaker chair industry.

In our blog "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" we discussed the difficulties that the Shaker's faced with furniture companies copying their rocking chair design as a result of Shaker success in the industry. In 1874, the Shaker chair catalogue contained a warning to customers to "Beware of imitation chairs which are sold for our make, and which are called Shakers' chairs." In 1875, the catalogue warning became longer and more stern and included a statement that "All Chairs of of our make will have a Gold Transfer Trade Mark [pictured] attached to them and none others are Shakers' Chairs. Look for our Trademark before purchasing - no chair is genuine without it."

We still look for the gold decal when we are buying production chairs. They are most frequently found on the inside of one of the rockers. However, we have also found them on the back of the bottom most slat on ladderback chairs and more rarely on the inside of the front post. Often we find chairs without the decal. Typically those chairs have been refinished over the years with the original decal lost in the process. An undisturbed clear gold decal is rare, but we come across them every once and awhile. Just one more factor that makes hunting for the "perfect" Shaker chair so much fun! Find your perfect chair in our Collection!