SHAKER

[jacon4]

Tell you what, amid all the gloom & doom with a down market for antique american furniture and americana generally, there is one STANDOUT! SHAKER, where even a 19th century laundry pail will fetch 5K. I have no idea why this is, is it because Shaker remains the only uniquely American designed furniture? I doubt it, in fact i doubt that many even know (or care) about that historical aspect of Shaker. And, young people are drawn to Shaker sales which kind of puzzles me, i can't figure out the attraction, it's certainly not comfort.
In any event, Skinner had a Shaker sale last month and as usual, sales were strong and prices were strong too!

MAD article summary
http://www.maineantiquedigest.com/stories/shaker-sale/5800

Skinner lot by lot sale data
http://www.skinnerinc.com/auctions/2898M/lots

[ghopper1924]

All I can think of is that not only do these pieces LOOK retro, they ARE retro. Way retro. I can easily imagine that fans of mid-20th century furniture and shabby chic would like this stuff. Glad to see that prices are high for SOME antiques out there!

[jacon4]

Retro huh? I guess, whatever it is, you see A LOT of young, 20s-30s couples competing for these pieces. It's very odd in a way to see kids out number the old folks at an antique auction as it's usually the other way around.

[Jlsherf]

Jacon4 I love your post on these early American pieces!  I would own tons of it if prices were reachable!

[ghopper1924]

Retro huh? I guess, whatever it is, you see A LOT of young, 20s-30s couples competing for these pieces. It's very odd in a way to see kids out number the old folks at an antique auction as it's usually the other way around.

At the auction I went to over the weekend there were easily 15 "oldsters" for every "kid."  If we could get younger people to expand their horizons, the entire antique market could recover. Ah well, at least there are some who now appreciate Shaker quality, as opposed to the millions who started their antique trek on soulless, mass produced mid (20th) century stuff. Irony and "retro chic" only go so far; those with a taste for quality will want to dig deeper.

[cogar]

Retro huh? I guess, whatever it is, you see A LOT of young, 20s-30s couples competing for these pieces. It's very odd in a way to see kids out number the old folks at an antique auction as it's usually the other way around.

Ya gotta keep in mind that most all of those "young 20s-30s couples", be they married or just co-habituating, ........ are residing in small apartments wherein "large and/or bulky" furniture requires to much floor space ..... and will make any room look bunched-up and crowded. 

Shaker "thingys" are plain n' simple, requires minimal up-keep and presents a sense of "openness" that one can "see" thru and around, ..... like so:



Just my opinionated guess, though. 
 

[sugarcube5419]

Shaker= rustic primitive?

[jacon4]

I only have 1 shaker piece, an 1830s cane seat "tilter" from Canterbury NH, flawless workmanship, light as a feather, strong as iron however, it is NOT exactly comfy to sit in for long periods of time. Not even the grandkids sit in it for long, even if i encourage them that it's OK to tilt back in it.

[jacon4]

I have always lusted for an Enfield NH one drawer work stand, absolutely stunning form and, they had one in the Skinner sale, this little cutie sold for 52k. Gee Wiz,  that's a BUNCH for a mid 19th century work stand.

[mart]

Didn`t the craze for Mission and Shaker start when Oprah began buying it ??  Could explain the under 30 group following suit !!

[jacon4]

Didn`t the craze for Mission and Shaker start when Oprah began buying it ??

No, not really, Shaker & Mission has been strong for a long time, she probably got prices up for a time though. No single person will drive demand, no matter how famous over a long period of time. It's like classic cars, Jay Leno is known as a gear head and has a really fine collection but, if he sold it all tomorrow, the demand would still be there.

[ghopper1924]

Shaker furniture is stylistically conservative and it is a bit rustic without being primitive. The woodworking is known for being impeccible.

So, with Shaker you've got the clean lines of the 18th century brought into early and mid-19th century in what were then rustic, utopian community environments. Don't forget that the Shakers' belief system and behavior (with dancing, for example) have exerted a fascination on people for well over a century.

[jacon4]

The Shakers didn't mean for their furniture to be beautiful and, the fact that many people do think it's beautiful would probably be offensive to them. Their design is one of extreme functionality and a great deal of thought went into their furniture designs with absolutely flawless woodworking skills. The end result was furniture that was plain to the point of understated elegance.

[KC]

Whoa, that sewing desk for $67,000 is a beauty on the first site you posted jacon4.  Can't say I have ever seen one that style!  I would have never guessed it would have cost that pretty penny!

[jacon4]

Yeah KC, i hear you, period Shaker furniture can get expensive in a hurry, no doubt.