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I am trying to furnish my charming bungalow with period craftsman mission furniture, but am floored at the price of Stickley leather sofas! I have heard from people that mid-Century is IN and mission is OUT- not Furniture salespeople obviously. I thought about buying a gently used one, but I NEVER seem to find any where I am looking. Are there not enough of them out there? Do owners hang on to them for dear life? Or am I looking in the wrong places? I’ve looked in chairish website, eBay, Amazon and google searches, but all that I ever come up with are fleabag- looking upholstered sofas. There are many imitation “Stickley style”, but not Stickley leather itself.
You're gonna pay a premium for something from Stickley. I've built a lot of pieces based on rough dimensions from old Stickley catalogs, and there's probably 100 woodworkers in Houston that can do something just as nice. And another 100 upholsterers that can do it every bit as good as the folks at the Stickley factory.
And for what it's worth, I expect that Stickley label doesn't mean near as much today as it used to unless it's very old.
You're gonna pay a premium for something from Stickley. I've built a lot of pieces based on rough dimensions from old Stickley catalogs, and there's probably 100 woodworkers in Houston that can do something just as nice. And another 100 upholsterers that can do it every bit as good as the folks at the Stickley factory.
And for what it's worth, I expect that Stickley label doesn't mean near as much today as it used to unless it's very old.
You're gonna pay a premium for something from Stickley. I've built a lot of pieces based on rough dimensions from old Stickley catalogs, and there's probably 100 woodworkers in Houston that can do something just as nice. And another 100 upholsterers that can do it every bit as good as the folks at the Stickley factory.
And for what it's worth, I expect that Stickley label doesn't mean near as much today as it used to unless it's very old.
Incidentally, there are many “Stickley style” furniture pieces on all of these sites. I suppose that those would also work? I’m still surprised that there aren’t more ppl trying to resell these pieces online, especially when I hear that young ppl don’t like them. More offerings online and estate sales?
I've made several Morris chairs that are comfy enough. Upholstery is everything, IMO. Also made a couple of 'Prairie Box' chairs that look nice but encourage proper posture to the point nobody wants to sit in them. Love the look of the Stickley sofas and will probably make one (or a loveseat) for the retirement house, but more for show than anything else because we're not sofa folks. I'm kind of surprised there isn't more used out there.
I have a Stickley chair, the leather version, and I adore it. It still looks brand new and is more like a piece of art than a piece of furniture.
Having said that, the chair is very comfortable, while I don't find the sofa to be that comfortable at all. A friend of mine has one in his office, and it just doesn't "sit" the same as the chair.
Unfortunately, it also isn't something most people recognize as special and different from what you can get at furniture stores or online.
I suspect you need to separate the label from the sofa to answer the question. If "Stickley" mean more to you than a sofa you can stand to look at or sit on, there it is.
Anything that dates between 1905 to 1914 most likely had Gustav's hands or eyes on it. Those would be considered "real" Stickley furniture.
And as previously noted- the simplicity of the designs are easy to duplicate. So, if you want the "style" there are craftsman out there that can build it for you. The Stickley I mentioned previously will cost you 10's of thousands of dollars!
Have you gone to the Stickley showroom and sat in their mission-style sofas? Some are not the most comfortable - and some are quite enjoyable. Don't listen to your friends who are pushing that MCM trend if you are an Arts/Crafts bungalow fan. MCM looks good in New American home styles but snug bungalows with their charming woodwork absolutely rock Mission style furniture.
There is a higher up-front cost to a quality mission sofa, but these aren't disposable pieces made in a factory. Mission style wood sofas are handmade for a niche market. These people are ones who tend to be longtime fans of the Arts/Crafts movement in their home and keep the style alive in their homes for decades. So it ends up that their Mission pieces get recushioned and reupholstered instead of Craigslisted when wear and tear appears.
You don't have to buy Stickley because mission-woodwork sofas are an Amish and woodworker staple (whispers...I think they do it better...). Spend some time visiting your local Amish furniture distributors and see if their sofas are what you have in mind. Remember - it's a custom order so you get to pick out the wood species, stain color, and leather. Or go with Stickley. It's all about what will make you happy and comfortable.
Have you gone to the Stickley showroom and sat in their mission-style sofas? Some are not the most comfortable - and some are quite enjoyable.
(snip)
You don't have to buy Stickley because mission-woodwork sofas are an Amish and woodworker staple (whispers...I think they do it better...). Spend some time visiting your local Amish furniture distributors and see if their sofas are what you have in mind. Remember - it's a custom order so you get to pick out the wood species, stain color, and leather. Or go with Stickley. It's all about what will make you happy and comfortable.
There is much wisdom in these words! And I say that as an owner of many Stickley pieces. Don't buy any sofa without sitting on it first - just because it's Mission doesn't mean it's comfy. And Amish craftsmen make excellent Mission-style furniture, which is generally much more affordable than Stickley if you're on a budget. And either genuine Stickley or Amish-made Mission pieces will be much more durable than what you will find on sale at the average furniture store these days!
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