A History of Furniture and the Amish
1 June 2022
The history of furniture can be traced back to as early as 3,100 to 2,500 B.C. when the primary material used to create “furniture” for household use was stone, rather than wood since wood was a pretty scarce material in the Neolithic period.
The Amish people were one of the first to popularize woodworking. Amish furniture gained attention only in the 1920s, but it is believed that they have been making furniture long before that when they first arrived in America in the 1700s.
To gain a thorough understanding of what Amish furniture really is, start by learning about the Amish culture:
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First of all, who are the Amish people? They are a Christian group in North America that originated in the late 17th century among followers of Jakob Ammann. Today, the Amish population is among the fastest-growing in America with over 300,000 followers from only 5,000 in the early 1900s.
One of the primary traditions of the Amish is simple living. This is manifested in their choice of clothing, hygiene practices, and daily living. The Amish often wear plain clothing with dark or black colors. Men were required to grow their beards to a “decent” length, while women were not allowed to cut their hair. While some of their traditions are not as strictly followed as they used to be in the past, many of their followers still abide by these cultural norms today.
This “simple living” of the Amish people is also manifested in their labors. In making furniture, for example, they do not use screws or nails to put parts together. Instead, they utilize unique techniques, such as using dovetails to connect two pieces of wood, to create their stunning pieces.
Because the Amish community places value on manual labor over traditional schooling, most of the Amish children are already immersed in furniture-making by the time they become adolescents. Because of this, different schools for Amish furniture-making began to pop up across America.
Each school has its unique style or specialization in making its furniture. For example, in Soap Hollow School, they paint their furniture black, red, and gold. Another school, Jonestown School, adorns its furniture pieces with paintings of dainty flowers.
Despite the industry of furniture-making becoming more and more crowded today, the spirit of Amish furniture is still very much alive and well-loved in the market. Because even though mass-produced factory-made furniture dominates most of the homes in America, still nothing can compare to the craftsmanship that handmade furniture, like Amish furniture, can offer. Handmade furniture brings a warm, human touch-like appeal to homes that many people won’t trade for anything else.
Factory Expo Furniture also puts value in intricate handmade pieces over cheap commercial furniture. We have a curated collection of high-quality pieces that are worthy of taking up space in your home, office, or any space you want to beautify with premium furniture.
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A History of Furniture and the Amish
1 June 2022
The history of furniture can be traced back to as early as 3,100 to 2,500 B.C. when the primary material used to create “furniture” for household use was stone, rather than wood since wood was a pretty scarce material in the Neolithic period.
The Amish people were one of the first to popularize woodworking. Amish furniture gained attention only in the 1920s, but it is believed that they have been making furniture long before that when they first arrived in America in the 1700s.
To gain a thorough understanding of what Amish furniture really is, start by learning about the Amish culture:
advertisement
First of all, who are the Amish people? They are a Christian group in North America that originated in the late 17th century among followers of Jakob Ammann. Today, the Amish population is among the fastest-growing in America with over 300,000 followers from only 5,000 in the early 1900s.
One of the primary traditions of the Amish is simple living. This is manifested in their choice of clothing, hygiene practices, and daily living. The Amish often wear plain clothing with dark or black colors. Men were required to grow their beards to a “decent” length, while women were not allowed to cut their hair. While some of their traditions are not as strictly followed as they used to be in the past, many of their followers still abide by these cultural norms today.
This “simple living” of the Amish people is also manifested in their labors. In making furniture, for example, they do not use screws or nails to put parts together. Instead, they utilize unique techniques, such as using dovetails to connect two pieces of wood, to create their stunning pieces.
Because the Amish community places value on manual labor over traditional schooling, most of the Amish children are already immersed in furniture-making by the time they become adolescents. Because of this, different schools for Amish furniture-making began to pop up across America.
Each school has its unique style or specialization in making its furniture. For example, in Soap Hollow School, they paint their furniture black, red, and gold. Another school, Jonestown School, adorns its furniture pieces with paintings of dainty flowers.
Despite the industry of furniture-making becoming more and more crowded today, the spirit of Amish furniture is still very much alive and well-loved in the market. Because even though mass-produced factory-made furniture dominates most of the homes in America, still nothing can compare to the craftsmanship that handmade furniture, like Amish furniture, can offer. Handmade furniture brings a warm, human touch-like appeal to homes that many people won’t trade for anything else.
Factory Expo Furniture also puts value in intricate handmade pieces over cheap commercial furniture. We have a curated collection of high-quality pieces that are worthy of taking up space in your home, office, or any space you want to beautify with premium furniture.
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"*" indicates required fields
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