When I was growing up, I thought it was a disadvantage to exist in a small family. I had very few cousins, aunts and uncles, and no nieces or nephews. But as the family aged and moved on, I realized that treasured furniture pieces seemed to automatically come my way. Beautiful pieces, such as an antique desk, an intricate dresser, and assorted antique tables have found a place in my home. And the memories of cherished family members live on in my daily use and appreciation of these pieces.
Of all the furniture I have added over the years to my home, I think the antique desk that once belonged to my great aunt is my favorite. As I work at my computer, I am sitting at this mission-style oak desk. True to mission-style items, this desk features rows of wooden slats that create a nice ordered look. The wood is varnished, and has the wonderful smooth edges of decades of use.
Gustav Stickley, who published the magazine "The Craftsman," was a furniture designer that d eveloped the mission-style movement in America. It was believed that he fashioned his designs after the Franciscan missions in California, which featured heavy oak pieces, revealed mortise and tenon joints, and little if any carving. This reflected the currently emerging Arts and Crafts movement, which was a calculated diversion from the mechanized techniques used for the popular furniture of the time. This movement was an attempt to step back to quality hand made pieces, crafted by true artisans. The look they were seeking was one of simplicity, natural function, and clean lines. The solid, sturdy frames were always made of wood, and were void of the embellishments and ornate decoration of the machine-produced Victorian pieces of that time. In time, however, even the mission-style furniture was being mass produced, and eventually low-quality, uncrafted items, just like those they were deviating from, were being created everywhere.
Many mission-style pieces, such as my antique desk, have survived the ages, partly due to the quality of t he construction. Just as sturdy as the day it was crafted, the pride of the workers is evident in the sliding of the drawers, the finish of the oak and the design of the desk. I enjoy the functionality of this piece, and the history it holds inside. Some antique hunters would display this desk, afraid of decreasing the value by using it. But in my case, it represents more than simply it's market value. It is a treasure that has been in my family for over one hundred years, and I can feel the past, and my connection to it, every time I sit here. This mission-style antique desk has found a home to belong in.
Kathy Merrell has owned a furniture upholstery business for almost 30 years. Specializing in antique restoration, repair and recovery, Kathy offers insight into the secrets upholsterers use to get the job done. To learn more about an antique desk, visit http://www.antiquefurniturehowto.com
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