What is American Heirloom Furniture?

American Heirloom furniture is handcrafted to last - featuring beautiful woods, construction integrity, graceful proportions, and fine details. It is appreciated and sought by informed collectors.

Heirloom furniture was handmade in limited quantities in the late 18th & early 19th century by passionate artisans in small workshops. They built with figured wide-woods using time-honored mortise & tenon and dovetail joinery.

In this area, the Newport Colonial and Boston Federal styles featured excellent proportions, fine carvings and inlay details, while the New England Shakers created plain, but uniquely proportioned works from fine timber.

The best masterworks, having stood the test of time, are now in private collections and museums.

Old-time craftsmen believed the integrity of their work was a gift not to be wasted, hence the Shaker saying “work as though you may live a thousand years, yet perish tomorrow” or build it to last. Local artisans were well-known in their communities and their pride of craft would not allow shoddy work.

Fine-craftsmen from the ports of Boston, Salem, Newport, New Bedford, Providence, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore & Charleston created master furniture works of renown, incorporating superb carving and inlay details.

In these great seaports wooden sailing ships were built for trade. Ships of sail had to be fast and well-built or they foundered. Timber frame housebuilding of that time was also built to last with massive mortise & tenon joinery. This finest-kind ship building & house building integrity greatly influenced furniture making of that era. These excellent traditions were borne from centuries of experimentation in their mother countries of England, Scotland, Holland & France.

After mass-produced, factory-made furniture appeared in the late 19th century, quality materials and fine craftsmanship gradually suffered shortcuts due to price competition. The degradation of furniture continued until much became destined for landfills after only a generation of use, hardly good environmental stewardship.

Today however, Adriance handmade heirloom furniture is proudly built to last from beautiful wide woods in limited edition, using the same time-honored joinery as our forebears. The local tree timber we use is sustainably sourced to allow forest regeneration.  Our patron-collectors appreciate our passion for excellent craftwork and we honor them with our high standards…a genuine old-fashioned partnership.