Made By Hickory Chair

A Walk Through Our Workroom

It is easy to get so wrapped up in the office that you can miss the exciting pieces being made each day in our workroom! Yesterday As I walked through our upholstery area I had to smile at the creativity that surrounded our talented team!

Shown below are a few of the amazing pieces being made by hand to order. A pair of Bolero Chairs from the Mariette Himes Gomez collection in a hot pink zebra patterned COM chenille, a pair of Elliott Wing Chairs from the 1911 collection in a luxurious purple velvet, a Brooks Chaise from the Thomas O'Brien collection in a Hickory Chair tie dyed print fabric and from Suzanne Kasler, a Linwood Side Chair in a hot pink match panel paint as well as a set of Belmont Side Chairs in a white linen fabric with black grosgrain ribbon sewn as horizontal stripes.

We feel honored to be entrusted each day with COM fabrics from all over the world, custom sized wood and upholstered items and special construction pieces a rainbow of fabrics, leathers and finishes. Because of this trust and the growing number of pieces ordered, we have added approximately 100 additional artisans and craftsmen to our Hickory Chair team since July 2012! Thank you for helping us keep this great American brand strong and growing!

Personalizing For Your Room

Our craftsmen at Hickory Chair want to make personalized pieces to order for you. They do not believe in making you settle for standard when some modifications would make our piece just right for your room.

Our Hickory, North Carolina workroom proudly provides a place where nearly 600 artisans, craftsmen, woodworkers, seamstresses and upholsterers collaborate to make heirloom quality furniture. Almost 100 of this group have joined our family since July 2012! Our sustained surge in orders has allowed us to grow and provide work to many.

We think you will enjoy seeing some of our recent customizations shown below. If you are a designer and are in New York this week and want to learn more we invite you to a special presentation and a CEU on furniture construction on Wednesday, March 20th beginning at 10:00 am. For details and to register, email Scott at sprentiss@hickorychairpearson.com.

Celebrating Gabberts Design Studio & Fine Furniture

Sophia Mirror, Artisan Chest with Overlay, Madigan Benches, Charleston Dining Table

One of the premier high end furniture stores in America is Gabberts Design Studio & Fine Furniture in Edina, Minnesota.  They have other locations in Souix Falls, SD, Fargo, ND and in Souix City, IA.  For decades Hickory Chair's talented artisans and craftsmen have had the honor to make fine furniture for this prestigious store.  Recently the talented team at Gabberts collaborated with Hickory Chair to create a truly inspirational display for the Edina location.

Kent M2M Sofa, Bowman Cocktail Table and Jules Chair

The display is located on the main level of the store in the Design Center area.  A beautiful display was created that illustrates the skill and personalization from our nearly 600 talented artisans and craftsmen in our HIckory, North Carolina workroom. 

Halden Sofa, Davis Drop Leaf Table, Ingold Table, Surry Side Chair

Pieces from many collections were selected to make beautiful displays to show area families how they could add special pieces to their homes.  Hickory Chair's centennial collection, the 1911 Collection, is mixed with licensed collections by four of the most famous American interior designers - Alexa Hampton, Mariette Himes Gomez, Suzanne Kasler and Thomas O'Brien.  In fact, in January 2012, Architectural Digest magazine named them in their listing of the new top 100 interior designers in America! 

Hallings Secretary, Wakeley Sofa, Alexa Ottoman, Alex Tray, Wabi Cocktail Table, Hunt Side Chair, Charles Hassock, Ian Bench

In each of the room scenes shown, a mix of interesting furniture forms were personalized through finish, hardware, fabric, leather and nail head trim from the extensive options at Hickory Chair.  As each piece is made to order, the craftsmen at Hickory Chair encourage you to select from these extensive options to create a very personal piece that suits your taste instead of settling on the standard.  It is this spirit that has allowed Hickory Chair to celebrate its 101st year of making fine furniture this year!

9th Street Sofa, Wabi Cocktail Table, Wakeley Sofa, Alex Ottoman, Alex Tray, Silhouettes Lounge Chair, David Lounge Chair

Many of the talented designers and sales associates at Gabberts are graduates of HCC University.  These individuals have traveled to Hickory, North Carolina to sharpen their skills on how high end custom furniture is made.  They have talked with woodworkers, upholsterers, cutters, finishers, sewers and all sorts of other craftsmen.  They have seen how kiln-dried lumber is transformed into the skeletal frame that is then hand-upholstered to order.  They have spent time in our showroom with an extensive assortment of furniture so that they know how each piece sits, what is behind the doors and most importantly they know it personally.

We hope you will go experience Gabberts Design Studio & Fine Furniture for yourself when you are in the Minneapolis area.  If you are not in the Minneapolis area, please visit our website to locate a dealer near you.  Our team in Hickory would love nothing more than have the honor of making a special piece for your home.

 

Happenings at 'The Chair'

This fall at the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, North Carolina, Hickory Chair introduces our new VP/Creative Director, Skip Rumley and his fresh presentation of Hickory Chair furniture.  His fresh outlook has brought an easy elegance in our 25,000 square foot showroom.  Divided into luxury apartments and suites, each area is distinctive with fresh new fabrics, special constructions and thoughtfully choreographed rooms.  Our Hickory, North Carolina workroom has the ability to make nearly 90% of our entire product offering in just a few weeks from order.  Skip has worked alongside to create special pieces never imagined before.  Adding to the excitement is that all four of our licensees, Alexa Hampton, Suzanne Kasler, Mariette Himes Gomez and Thomas O'Brien have new pieces for their respective collections this fall.  We, and they, are honored that Architectural DIgest named each of them as a Top 100 Interior Designer this year!

In addition to new furniture this season, we have dynamic new fabrics, leather and trim that reflect beautiful pattern, color and texture.  Continuing our licensing program with Hable Construction, we have added 11 new prints and wovens to our collection this season!  Shown is a grouping of pieces upholstered in new Hable Construction fabrics that are exclusive to Hickory Chair. The Muse Cabinet and a Madigan Bar Stool are shown the new print Marble in the Skinny Dip colorway, a screen in Pom Pom in the Sapphire colorway, the Edward Chair in Peony and the Inman Ottoman in the new Coal colorway of Costume.

Alexa Hampton has created the beautiful Alice Secretary along with a distinctive grouping of chairs named Rachel and Gregory and the new Tatum Side Table.

  

Mariette Himes Gomez owns a vintage sofa made by the legendary Syrie Maugham.  Working with the craftsmen in the Hickory workroom we introduce the luxurious adaptation we have named the Syrie Maugham Sofa. From feedback at market we have created the most comfortable sofa ever in the Hickory Chair line.

 
Suzanne Kasler has many new introductions this season.  Included in this grouping is the Arden Dining Table.  Crafted in ash solids and veneers, this 8-legged table is perfect as a dining or center table.  The top and base are interchangeable with many other tops and bases allowing you to create a one-of-a-kind table as well.

From Thomas O'Brien is a new sofa, love seat and sectional named Pablo, a grouping of small occasional tables, a settee, chairs and a distinctive bed named Stanford. This distinctive bed is made from mahogany solids with fine kingwood veneers.  It has a button-tufted upholstered headboard.  A series of elegant fluted posts that wrap around the footboard.

These exciting new pieces being introduced is season are available through your designer or local Hickory Chair dealer.  Visit hickorychair.com to see all pieces our Hickory Chair family of collections.

Denise McGaha Interior Design - Dallas, Texas

Denise McGaha is a talented designer that we have had the opportunity to work with over the past few years.  She attended HCC University and ever since she has not only embraced our products at Hickory Chair, but she has challenged our workroom to make custom pieces for her projects. 

Last year she was presented the opportunity to design the Texas State Fair House of Tomorrow with the builder, Regenesis Design Build.  The challenge was that she only had 16 days to design and install the project.  To do this she had to quickly decide on the aesthetic and turn to the sources she knew could create products for her in this short lead time.  We were thrilled that she trusted Hickory Chair to create one-of-a-kind wood and upholstered pieces for this showhouse.  She was selected to design the kitchen and the living room for the October 2011 House of Tomorrow showhouse.

The living room shown below is a great example of Denise's creativity and ability to challenge our workroom!  As she began to choose pieces for this beautiful room she had to not only choose pieces perfect for the aesthetic, but also the right scale for the room.  Fortunately Hickory Chair was ready to respond with the right pieces, made to the right size and in the right amount of time! She could have it made just in time!

In the foreground is the Boyd Sofa was selected in a soft gray fabric and was trimmed with chrome nail head trim.  The Hutton Console Table, Milo Cocktail Table and 9th Street Ottoman were all made to fit the room.  Denise specified the width and length along with the height of the tables and each were made to order.  Nestled under the console is a Right Side Facing Studio Bookcase from the Thomas O'Brien Collection.  In the background are a pair of Delaware Host Chairs that were upholstered in an exclusive fabric designed by Texan, Susan Hable Smith for Hable Construction.  Also shown is a set of four Eva Side Chairs from the Alexa Hampton Collection surrounding an octagonal Center Hall Table from the Mariette Himes Gomez collecation. 

In this detail shot showing the built in desk and the set of four Eva Side Chairs from the Alexa Hampton Collection surrounding an octagonal Center Hall Table from the Mariette Himes Gomez collection.  Denise chose the Chippy White paint for the table and chairs and a linen fabric.  The creamy Chippy White paint softens the architectural form of the table and chairs. 

Denise selected Hable Construction throw pillows to add a visual punch to the neutral gray sofa. She chose their 'Checker' polka dot and a bright orange and white print throw pillow. 

In one of the Delaware Host Chairs that were upholstered in an exclusive fabric 3805-14 designed by Texan, Susan Hable Smith for Hable Construction, Denise has draped a bright orange cable knit throw and another Hable Construction polka dot throw pillow.  This punch of orange is also repeated in a pair of vases that flank the portrait above the fireplace, as beads in a bowl on the console and in the floral arrangement that was placed on the Milo M2M Cocktail Table.

While this beautiful interior was set up for the showhouse, Denise used the same smart planning she would for her clients.  The punch of orange brought fashion and life to a very neutral room.  Denise used accessories for all the happy color.  Next season if orange was out and red was the hot color of the season (which it is by the way), it would be easy and inexpensive to update this interior by changing out the vases, throw pillows and an afghan.  We do this with our wardrobe... a new skirt, boots, scarf or jacket can make your closet fashion forward again.  Why not do this with your home?

We would like to thank Denise for the opportunity to make these pieces in our Hickory, North Carolina workroom.  Our talented group of 550 talented artists and craftsmen were excited to make these special pieces to order.  Why settle for standard when you can have it made?

 

Sweet Peas Design - Libertyville, IL

Nothing seems more exciting than receiving an email from a friend.  Recently an email came from our friends at Sweet Peas Design in Libertyville, IL.  The owner, Susan Brunstrum, attended HCC University along with one of her associates.  They shared this very special installation using many Hickory Chair pieces in this email.  We hope that you will be as inspired as we when you read her story and see the creativity in these inspirational roomscenes below!

Interior designer Susan Brunstrum drastically downsized last year from a 7,500-square-foot home to a charming 1927 bungalow located in the coveted Heritage area of Libertyville, an older section of this upscale North suburb of Chicago.

The Craftsman-like home, where she and her two college-age children live, weighs in at a mere 2,000 square feet: intimate, but not cramped. It is located near the all-American downtown and commuter train station, two attractive perks.

With respect for the area’s history, Brunstrum preserved the bones and footprint of this vintage cottage, including the hardwood floors, which she refinished, arched doorways and textured ceilings, but she gave it a contemporary makeover that’s refined  and a little glam. The neutral color palette and uncomplicated design are what she craves after long days working with color and patterns for clients.

She turned to Hickory Chair for furnishings that would help interpret the tailored, sophisticated style she calls “rough luxe.” The firm is an old friend that she often relies on to create custom looks for her clients, but this time it was her turn.

The result is a casually elegant mix of masculine and feminine elements that’s a bit like “GQ Guy Meets Cosmo Girl,” and she found more than 20 pieces from Hickory Chair to make that look work.

Here are the results:

KITCHEN:

It all started in the kitchen. The handsome grey kitchen cabinets and the quartzite countertops inspired the neutral color palette for the whole house. Susan fell for the soothing quality of this men’s suiting hue and its versatility with many other colors. On either side of the Milo Made 2 Measure dining table in the breakfast nook is a pair of Bistro Banquettes in Vacona Downy Gray. The Dara side chairs have a dark walnut finish with antique rub silver striping and elephant colored fabric.

 

DEN:

This is where Susan put some whimsy and a lot of texture to work while creating the illusion of more space. A standard sofa would have consumed most of the room, so she chose two Leigh Low Arm Chaises in espresso,  embellished with a flange welt and butterfly corners, and separated by an Andrew Side Table in Weathered Stone.   The open Sullivan Bookcase Rack lets the eye roam through the shelving to Susan’s signature burlap fabric wall treatment, hand-fringed and applied horizontally, producing long sight lines. Exotic pillows, aqua glass vases and a custom zebra rug complete the picture.

 

DINING ROOM:

Through the kitchen and just past the butler’s pantry is the formal dining room where Susan designed the area rug so the floral motif sits at the corners, skirting the silver leaf, Sutherland Table Pedestal and dark walnut Sloan Table Top. The Bridgewater Chest adds warm, walnut contrast and there’s a clear-cut feminine/masculine contrast in the glass bead Zia Privin chandelier, Barbara Barry narrow glass ront armoires and Christopher Guy chain link mirror.

 

 

LIVING ROOM:

Now that she doesn’t have to worry about peanut-butter hands, Susan dared to dress the living room in elegant ivory. She designed the square-in-square hide rug by Edelman that anchors the space and secured the pair of Curtis Sofas with espresso finish.   The antique ivory Taylor Chests provide extra storage for this cozy cottage while the mirror-backed Lorenzo Cabinet displays hand-picked treasures.  The fireplace is a clever bit of designer detail – Susan had it painted to look like the flagstone she installed on the front walk. A snakeskin parsons table by Edelman, two mohair ottomans made by Nelson Paiz and another Priven chandelier fill out the room.

 

MASTER BEDROOM

Susan tells us this is her refuge. The quaint angles of the ceiling create a quiet niche for a comfy bed made up with an Ann Gish French knot cover. Flanking the leather Christopher Guy headboard is a pair of Lancaster Side Tables in contrasting Rustic Silver and Sable. Kravet fabric covers the ottomans and the Reagan Hayes chair, and for a girlie-girl finish, there’s a McLaughlin acrylic perching chair with long-haired goat seat and Barbara Barry desk. 

 

LOWER LEVEL

This lower level is a “man cave” that women love too.  Who wouldn’t want to stretch out on this flannel, Silhouettes Seating sectional.  Susan designed the Thomas McNeil cabinetry and the pear-green leather ottoman made by Nelson Paiz. The Eliza Chair with large nail heads and flat tape trim provides an extra seat, while the glass Evan Lewis tables collect  iPads, laptops and drinks.

One last note: Even though Susan downsized by 75 percent, she didn’t sacrifice anything in quality of materials or workmanship. Smaller can still be luxurious.

Thank you to Susan for sharing this great story today!  Do you have a story to share?  Send your story and pictures to press@hickorychair.com and we will be in touch!

KOTY - House Beautiful's 2012 Kitchen of the Year

During the week of July 16th, House Beautiful sponsored the KOTY "Kitchen Of The Year" in New York City.  Hickory Chair was honored to be a sponsor for its second consecutive year.  Held on the patio of Rockefeller Center, this amazing kitchen is constructed for a week of special events from interviews by NBC's own Al Roker to cooking demonstrations by some of New York's finest chefs.  Parties and product demonstrations filled the week as well.

Image courtesy of Kravet

Mick de Guilio was this year's KOTY designer. The project included both an indoor and an outdoor kitches.  He created this very inspirational indoor kitchen with great room by combining a fresh palette including white, washed/scrubbed finishes and rich fabrics and leather in gray tones.  Hickory Chair's 5750-07 Madigan Backless Counter Stools were selected to use at the bar.  They were finished in Kohl stain, upholstered in a deep gray leather, 220 Manhattan Pewter, trimmed in NS-03 Chrome nail head trim and an Antique Nickel stretcher guard finished the look.  The Madigan Backless Counter Stool is part of a complete series of dining chairs, bar and counter stools with or without backs and arms. 

In addition to the Madigan Backless Counter Stools, our new 9591-40 17th C. Italian Console was selected in the great room area.  Made from solid Ash wood, Mick selected our Scrubbed Ash finish which opened the grain and allowed for a pumice colored wax to hang up in the grain.  While he selected the standard size, we also make it M2M (Made to Measure) from 26 to 84 inches in length to order, with or without large size nail head trim and in over 70 stain and painted finishes. 

As the KOTY is now over and the plaza has been cleared, these special Hickory Chair pieces can be found at our Hickory Chair showroom located at the New York Design Center at 200 Lexington Avenue, space 102.  Maybe they would be the perfect solution for your home!  Enjoy these additional images from the 2012 House Beautiful Kitchen Of The Year event!

 

Youngdale Interiors, Johnson City, TN

My travels recently took me to the Johnson City, Tennessee suburb of Boone’s Creek to Youngdale Interiors.  There I had the pleasure of meeting Kathy and Carl Young, Jr.  They own an 1835 Federal style farmhouse originally built by the Worley family.  Each brick was hand made on the farm and timber was cut to build the house, barn and other structures. Known as “Weowna Farms”, the 1,200 acre farm was a working farm and due to its location on the main route a “Riding Rock” was created for travelers to stop, tack their horses and rest for the night.  Stories have been passed down of Union and Civil War soldiers as well as Indians finding refuge at Youngdale.  Later, railroad workers would stay in the guest quarters and other travelers.  In fact, one evening Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Harvey Firestone knocked on the door looking for lodging only to be turned away as all their guest rooms were filled.

Later the house was owned by Ivan Range. In 1962, the house passed to Carl Young, Sr. who preserved the architecture of the house but updated the kitchen. 

When Kathy and Carl, Jr. acquired this historic home, it was Kathy's desire to preserve the architecture, utilize hand-made wool rugs Carl Sr. and his wife purchased from a Vanderbilt estate sale along with other family antiques and mix new furnishings.  The final result of this design challenge reflects a modern interior that respectfully honored the historic structure.

Upon entering the house from the side door, we found ourselves in the kitchen.  There we found a color palette of blues and greens with a 60’s modern attitude.  Kathy, in her effort to preserve the house, chose to refinish the special cabinets and create new counter tops.  A mixture of porcelain metallic tiles and harlequin wall paper carries the soft blue/green colorscape of the room.  Match Panel finishes were chosen for the turquoise Ingold Table and white LeeLee Side Chairs.  Accents including celadon green bakelite salt and pepper shakers in ear of corn forms, green and blue accessories and the area rug complete the scheme.

 

The living oom was inspired by a single Quezel plate.   A contemporary of Tiffany, Quezel created colorful pieces that are very collectable.  Kathy chose wallpaper made with mica flakes, a fireplace from Corsican, Hartford & Forbes custom blinds, Visual Comfort lighting and furniture pieces from Baker Furniture and pieces designed by the Keno Brothers made in Vietnam by Theodore Alexander.

 

The formal dining room was originally the parlor but with its proximity to the kitchen, Kathy saw it as a dining room. The vintage Chinese rug that had been purchased in New York in the 1950’s dictated the color scheme and persona of the room.   A metallic Cowtan & Tout wallpaper was chosen along with Tricia Guild fabric for the custom drapery and Larson sheers that seem to glow with their metallic threads.  Surrounding the modern dining table is a set of Hunt Chairs by Suzanne Kasler finished in Silver Leaf finish and upholstered in a purple velvet. A period sideboard, custom made blue glass mirror, display cabinets from the Althorp Collection and a vintage sterling silver tea set complete the aesthetic.

In the foyer, we are met by an amazing harlequin hand painted floor.  Thought to be original to the house, it was discovered when Kathy removed the carpet during the restoration.  Its patina adds charm and character to the room.  A Tricia Chest with its Railroad Silver hardware, a purple leather button-tufted cocktail ottoman and a display cabinet adorn this room.

Moving into the Parlor, is another of the vintage wool rugs from the Vanderbilt estate.  Its color and pattern set the tone for the room. A Macdonald Made 2 Measure Sofa in a metallic silk is flanked by a pair of Austell Side Tables with White Onyx tops and a pair of Carrie Chairs upholstered in a Rose Cummings silk velvet. Hanging behind the Austell Side Tables are a pair of Venetian Mirrors.  A contemporary glass cocktail table and a beautiful 3/4 inch thick glass chair of Russian design are balanced by a period secretary with intricate hand inlay. A Cantrell Chair and Etienne Ottoman sit by the mirrored fireplace.  Each window is draped with luxurious Kravet satin.

The stairwell landing features a pair of hand-painted antique mirrors that flank a window overlooking the working farm.  A beautiful Picasso chandelier illuminates the area.

The master bedroom features another vintage red oriental rug.  Kathy chose to use the teals in the rug. She selected a Lillian August mirrored bed that is a showcase in the room.  A retired modern Zane Chaise by Thomas O’Brien is upholstered in an aqua velvet. A small game table with petite chairs flank the fireplace.  Kathy was disturbed by the black opening of the fireplace - she referred to it as the 'black hole of Calcutta'.  Her solution was to line it with custom sized mirrors which reflect the colors of the room.

The bath has 1950's turquoise tile that is now complemented by chrysanthemum wallpaper and custom made shower curtain from Tricia Guild.  Custom made Priscilla curtains were made from a fine Pierre Frey batiste.

The bedroom to the right of the stairwell is furnished with a pair of Candler Twin Beds in a bold stripe.  She selected a Benjamin Moore paint color as the finish to complement the colors in yet another antique rug and the Tricia Guild wallpaper.  The sitting area features small sofa and pair of lounge chairs that surround a retired Mariette Himes Gomez Jacques Cocktail Table.  A mirrored vantity with a quatrefoil shaped Alexandra Side Chair is upholstered in a silk fabric.

Through a concealed doorway, that the servants would have utilized, you then reach the children's loft. A pair of day beds line one wall with an Invisible Table by Mariette Himes Gomez in the center.  A Taylor Chest from Thomas O’Brien was updated with crystal knobs and hand applied gold leaf on the decorative reveal that follows the perimeter of the base.  A custom sized 54" Campagne Table with Ebony finish is used as a desk or a game table.  A Cleo Cabinet with mirrored doors is used for storage.

Entering the Media Room one is immediately taken by the match panel paint color selected for the Studio Book Cases by Thomas O’Brien.  Painted in a soft blue green shade, the complement the Leigh Sectional upholstered in a beautiful William Yeoward velvet fabric.  A retired Darlington Desk also by Thomas O’Brien, a Keno Brothers table and Baker Chair complete the room.  Visual Comfort lighting and a Tibetan Sheepskin rug complete the aesthetic of the room. A small winding stairwell returns you back to the kitchen. 

Kathy and Carl have created an inspriational oasis in the rolling hills of northeastern Tennessee. If you are looking for inspiration, Youngdale Interiors is a great destination! 

Luxurious Bedroom Retreats

A really comfortable bed in a beautifully styled room is one of the most loved parts of a home.  It is our retreat at the end of a long day.  It is the place where we linger on cool mornings.  It is a place where we tend to indulge ourselves with luxury.  In reviewing some photographs recently shared with us at Hickory Chair we found some really amazing bedroom get-a-ways that inspired us to share them with you!

 

Maybe it is a luxurious suite at the famous Cincinnatian Inn with the Candler Bed by Suzanne Kasler.

Or this luxurious bedroom at the Moraya Bay Club with a pair of Montauk Beds by Mariette Himes Gomez...

Maybe you would prefer this bedroom shared with us by David Fuller of Alyson Jon Interiors (photo courtesy of Merrick Ales Photography) featuring the Candler Bed by Suzanne Kasler.

Perhaps you would have to smile with a Simone Bed by Suzanne Kasler in an amazing room created by Tobi Fairley!

Our own Ron Fiore's master bedroom seen in the October 2011 issue of Traditional Home featuring the 1911 Collection Artisan Bed.

A night at Blackberry Farms in Cleveland, Tennessee might make you never want to return to your own bedroom without a Hickory Chair bed! Shown is the Calla Bed by Mariette Himes Gomez in this inviting room.

The Lakehouse Bed by Thomas O'Brien is inviting in this cottage at Blackberry Farm.

This luxurious bedroom in a Blackberry Farm cottage features the Chelsea Bed by Thomas O'Brien.

Whether your style is romantic, masculine, formal, casual, traditional, modern, country or coastal, with fabric, leather and finish options why settle for just a bed when you can have it made just for you at our workroom in Hickory, North Carolina!

Albert Sack, an American Visionary

This fall as we prepared for our Centennial celebration at Hickory Chair we caught up with Deborah Friedman, daughter of the late Albert Sack.  We were reflecting on the great talent and visionary that was Albert Sack and how we wished that he had lived to see his latest collaboration with Hickory Chair be introduced at the October 2011 Market.  It was not to be as he departed this life on May 29, 2011.  Fortunately, we had the honor of selecting a very special American Federal period sofa with him from his archives to introduce as a part of this special celebration.  As shown below our modern day interpretation of the original antique shares the crisp lines of the Federal Period.  The Albert Sofa and Chair are both clean lined, comfortable and have a timeless quality about their style.  Like the original antique, classic furniture with heirloom quality is our goal for all we create in our Hickory, North Carolina workroom.

As we continued to speak with Deborah about her Father and this most special way to honor his memory she shared with us this following letter.  We felt you might appreciate the love and respect between this father and daughter.  "On a balmy day in May 2010, I  videotaped my father, Albert Sack on my back porch.  He said, "You gotta have a dream.  My father's [Israel Sack] dream was the glory of Americana at its best." "You caught that dream?, I asked. My father replied, "I caught that dream".

 

With little interest and virtually no knowledge of American antiques, my father left college in the midst of the depression to help his father's ailing business.  His father, Israel was already considered a maverick for championing Americana at a time when European furniture was the favored trend.  And faced with the daunting responsibility of becoming Israel Sack's principal buyer at a time when people were standing in bread lines, he began to identify with and appreciate the early settlers who returned from battles to lovingly create American masterpieces.  As John Hays of Christie's said in The Magazine Antiques, "For Albert, American furniture was more than great art.  The virtues of each piece for him were a foil for America: the success of a piece depended on the strength and vigor of its design...and always the singular pride of its being American."

For Albert Sack to succeed as a buyer, he would face obstacles too, but he was certain he had to buy only the most extraordinary objects for Israel Sack even in the worst of times. Shortly after my father joined the firm, Israel Sack showed DuPont a newly acquired masterpiece. DuPont remarked about its high price tag during the Depression. To which Israel countered, "There's always room for special friends".  A passion was ignited in my father and he began to see Israel's vision. In 2004, I began a conversation with Jay Reardon, President of Hickory Chair about a collection bearing my father's name.  I viewed a potential line as relevant, a solution for families who inherited treasured antiques, but needed exceptional American pieces with character and personality (much like my father's) that could blend seamlessly into modern interiors.

Outwardly we appeared like an unlikely, unconventional couple.  I hadn't worked at Israel Sack so my background was in retail and manufacturing. What people didn't know was my entire life was spent looking at products and fashion and finding ways to refine them, to make them more beautiful. 

My father and I applied the same shared analytical approach to selecting, and translating design elements to recreate masterpieces for a 21st century customer.  What I didn't expect was to fall in love along the way with cabinetmakers, John and Thomas Seymour or to wax poetic about a hand painted table like my father did.  Apparently, I had caught the dream, too. Unexpectedly my own path's purpose converged with his and redefined  my aesthetic point of view.

As Hickory Chair introduces the "Albert sofa and chair", I am reminded of the many conversations my father and I shared traveling to Hickory and High Point.  He viewed his partnership with Hickory Chair as an opportunity to show a new generation the way he looked at furniture. He marveled at the way Hickory Chair met his standards for excellence by refining the tiniest detail to exquisite execution. He knew the multi-generational artisans at Hickory Chair would create "gems" for a generation that would value beauty as he had in his lifetime.  Hickory Chair honors Albert Sack's legacy by sharing his vision of the bold, American spirit. Thank you for catching the dream." - Deborah Friedman

Shown below is the Albert Sofa as a silhouette and as a room scene from the Albert Sack Collection from Hickory Chair.  Modern and Traditional...Timeless just like Albert Sack. For more about Albert Sack's life achievements click on the following posts:

NY Times, Antiques & The Arts 1, A Lucky Daughter, Antiques & The Arts 2, Design Source, AFA News,  Prices 4 Antiques,