Sometimes, the name of a furniture theme can tell you everything you need to know about it. Shaker theme furniture is one such name.
The Shakers were a small millennial religious sect that began in England in 1772, and moved to America just prior to the Revolutionary War. They were related to other better known groups such as the Quakers and Amish mainly for their beliefs in isolation from society and opposition to war. They also were greatly concerned with the maintaining of a simple lifetheme. The guiding principles of the sect were equality, modesty, and faith, and they were concerned with a search for order and harmony in life.
This set of religious beliefs is reflected in the furniture that they produced. The theme might be summed up by the saying, "beauty is in utility." In the period following the Revolution until the Civil War, the sect enjoyed their largest numbers, and a large quantity of handmade furniture was produced by Shaker craftsman in home shops. The utility and practical nature of the theme made a market for it outside of the sect itself, and pieces found their way into general circulation. The advent of the Industrial period following the Civil War, and the decline in numbers of the sect itself due to an increasingly secular spirit in America led to a decline in the number of Shakers. This in turn led to an end of the production of Shaker theme furniture.
The main wood of choice in Shaker theme furniture was maple, although some cherry, birch, and walnut was also used. One of the most classic examples of the theme is the Shaker side chair. The chair is very simple in design, but at the same time has such fine attention to detail and utility of design that they are still very popular. The side chair was crafted with a ball and socket joint in the front legs that allowed the chair to be leaned backward while keeping the rear legs solidly planted on the floor. This allowed a safe rocking motion.
One legacy of the theme that endures today is the Shaker theme rocking chair. It is the prototype of the modern rocking chair of today, and was designed for use by elderly people. It was thought that the rocking motion was healthy for them. The idea of utility can be seen in the Sewing Rocker that was designed specifically for women and allowed them to sew or knit easily while rocking.
Cabinets and Cupboards were very popular pieces. They were not embellished at all with any extra decoration, but were masterpieces of utility and consistency. In the present time, Shaker furniture pieces that are original and in good condition are highly sought antiques, and although some attempts to recreate the theme for commercial sale have been made, the careful inspired religious care that the Shakers put into the making of each hand crafted piece can not easily be duplicated in a factory.