In 1900 Leopold Stickley and his younger brother, John
George bought a furniture factory in Fayetteville, New York,
and incorporated it four years later as L. & J.G. Stickley.
Their first furniture line, handcrafted Mission Oak, was a
new aesthetic one — which stressed function and unadorned
beauty over the ornateness of the Victorian era.
In 1916, changing public taste ended the first Mission era,
and Leopold Stickley inaugurated his Cherry Valley
Collection: classic American designs made of solid cherry
wood that was abundant in the Adirondack region.
Considered by many experts as America's most distinctive
cherry line, Stickley furniture was recognized for its
authentic designs, integrity of construction and
incomparable finish. In 1956 Leopold Stickley was honored as
"The Revered Dean of Cabinetmakers whose art and
craftsmanship have contributed mightily to American home
life", by House Beautiful, House & Garden, National
Geographic, The New Yorker, and Fortune Magazine, among
others. At the time of Leopold's death in 1957, L. & J.G.
Stickley was one of the most recognized and admired
furniture companies in the nation.
By the early 1970's, the workforce at Stickley had dwindled
to 22 full-time employees, production was limited and the
company was on the verge of closing. A new era began for
Stickley when Alfred and Aminy Audi bought the company and
started nurturing it back to health. Today Stickley is a
thriving company with more than 1300 employees who have a
deep appreciation for Stickley's heritage and pride in its
product.
Located in Fayetteville, New York, since 1900, the factory
was moved to its present location in nearby Manlius, New
York, in 1985. Today the new factory has more than 400,000
square feet of efficient production space. Now, in addition
to the historic Mission Collection, the craftsmen and
craftswomen of Stickley proudly produce Traditional 18th
Century pieces, select pieces from the Williamsburg Reserve
Collection (as a result of an exclusive licensing agreement
with the Williamsburg Foundation), 21st Century,
Metropolitan, French Collection, and Stickley Fine
Upholstery Collections. Within each collection, Stickley
offers additional Collector's and Commemorative pieces, all
of which are signed and dated by a Stickley cabinetmaker.
Authentic designs, integrity of construction and commitment
to craftsmanship is The Stickley Difference. Furniture
rooted in the past, designed for the present, and destined
for the future...Uniquely American.
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