Today we are continuing our story "99 Years And Counting" that we began on February 11th. In the first story, we shared our early beginnings in 1911 as a dining chair company. As the story progressed, we recounted our legacy of licensed reproductions that began in 1931 with the Dorothy Robinson Collection. This lead to the launch of the James River Collection in 1941 that is today the industry's oldest and continuously made furniture collection. We left off with a request to watch for the next installment that would begin with the Mark Hampton Collection.
It was 1988 when Hickory Chair introduced the Mark Hampton Collection. This was Hickory Chair's first collection that collaborated with an interior designer. Licensed designer collections for the furniture industry were in its infancy and the Mark Hampton Collection not only successful for Hickory Chair but it paved a path for designer and non-designer collections around the industry. The collection is adorned with pieces from the English countryside, Regency, European and West Indies inspiration. Even though the world lost Mark Hampton in 1998, his timeless designs continue to be made in our workroom. His widow, Duane Hampton, has published a new book to be released on April 20, 2010 named "Mark Hampton: An American Decorator". A book signing will be held in the Hickory Chair Showroom on Saturday, April 17th. An excerpt from the publisher, Rizzoli, states that the book is "Rich with original materials including Hampton’s watercolors, sketches, and notebooks, as well as hundreds of images of Hampton’s important commissions, and impeccably researched and intimately written by his widow, Duane Hampton, this will be a visual feast for everyone interested in interiors as well as an important addition to the history of interior design."
In 1989, Hickory Chair built on the success of the new Mark Hampton Collection with the French 
Collection. This new collection was inspired by the French countryside and was an immediate success. Over these 21 years, new pieces, finishes and fabrics have been added as well as other European inspired collections such as San Marino (introduced in 1997), Atelier (introduced in 2004), and most recently, the Suzanne Kasler Collection (introduced in 2008). While each collection is unique in its own way, the true proportion and scale of the pieces make them timeless and mixable allowing the collector to purchase pieces they love instead of matched suits. These European inspired collections provide a less formal approach to luxurious living.
Stay tuned for Part Three in the series as we pick up with the Winterthur Country Estate Collection...
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